A portable digital optical detection device

Abstract

The present application belongs to the technical field of optical detection and in-vitro diagnosis, and particularly relates to a portable digital optical detection device. The device comprises a light-proof shell, a screw cap on the top of the shell, a horizontally placed first partition plate and a vertically placed second partition plate in the shell, a positioning hole on the first partition plate corresponding to the screw cap for fixing a centrifugal tube containing a sample to be detected, an LED lamp installed below the centrifugal tube, a camera installed on the sidewall of the shell, and the lens of the camera aiming at the centrifugal tube, a mobile power supply installed on the right side of the second partition plate, and a display screen installed on one end of the shell. The present application enables the liquid sample in the centrifugal tube to complete image acquisition and concentration conversion under relatively closed and stable light path conditions, thereby improving the consistency, accuracy and on-site applicability of detection.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the fields of optical inspection technology and in vitro diagnostics (IVD) technology, and specifically relates to a portable digital optical inspection device. Background Technology

[0002] With the miniaturization and intelligent development of point-of-care testing (POCT) technology, liquid detection based on colorimetry or spectrophotometry is increasingly widely used in clinical rapid screening, environmental monitoring, food safety, and experimental teaching. This type of detection typically involves reacting the sample with a colorimetric reagent, and then using changes in color intensity, transmittance, or turbidity to reflect the concentration of the target analyte. An optical acquisition unit then reads the signal and performs qualitative or quantitative analysis.

[0003] Existing portable optical inspection equipment mostly uses open or semi-open inspection chambers, or relies directly on manual observation, mobile phone photography, or general-purpose camera capture to obtain color information. However, these solutions still have the following problems in practical applications:

[0004] 1. Significant ambient light interference. Open or semi-open structures cannot effectively shield against external light sources such as sunlight and indoor lighting, resulting in ambient light noise being mixed into the collected color information, affecting the accuracy and repeatability of the detection.

[0005] 2. Insufficient consistency in sample positioning. When the position, angle, and height of the centrifuge tubes deviate, it is difficult to keep the light-transmitting area of ​​the sample consistent with the area captured by the light source and camera, resulting in fluctuations in test results between different batches.

[0006] 3. Insufficient portability and on-site applicability of equipment. Traditional spectrophotometers and other instruments are usually large in size and expensive. They often require cuvettes, fixed wavelength optical paths and relatively standardized experimental conditions, which are not conducive to rapid on-site detection.

[0007] 4. The quantitative process is not convenient enough. Some devices only return RGB values ​​or image results, requiring the operator to separately establish a standard curve and perform data conversion, which increases the number of operation steps and sources of error.

[0008] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a portable optical detection device that can stably fix centrifuge tubes in a sealed dark room, ensure the relative positions of the light source, sample, and camera are consistent, and achieve rapid quantification through digital processing. Summary of the Invention

[0009] In view of the problems in the existing technology, such as the detection environment being easily affected by ambient light, inaccurate centrifuge tube positioning, and complex quantitative analysis process, the purpose of this application is to provide a portable digital optical detection device.

[0010] This application provides a portable digital optical detection device, including an opaque housing with a screw cap on top. Inside the housing are a horizontally placed first partition and a vertically placed second partition. The first partition has a positioning hole corresponding to the screw cap, which is used to fix a centrifuge tube loaded with the sample to be tested. An LED light is installed below the centrifuge tube. A camera is installed on the side wall of the housing, with the lens of the camera aimed at the centrifuge tube. A power bank is installed on the right side of the second partition, and a display screen is installed at one end of the outer side of the housing.

[0011] The screw cap is located on the top of the opaque housing and can be connected to the opaque housing in a detachable manner such as by threads or snaps.

[0012] The centrifuge tubes mentioned are 1.5 ml centrifuge tubes.

[0013] The first and second partitions are set vertically, dividing the interior of the opaque housing into a sample detection area in the lower left, an electronic component area in the upper left, and a power supply area in the right.

[0014] A development board assembly is located in the upper left electronic component area, above the first partition. This development board assembly can be a Raspberry Pi 5 or other microcomputing platform with image acquisition, data processing, and peripheral control capabilities. The development board assembly is electrically connected to a camera, LED, display screen, and power bank, and is used to control image acquisition, process color information, create or recall standard curves, and output test results. The display screen is preferably a touchscreen, used to display acquired images, color parameters, standard curves, and sample concentration results.

[0015] The device of this invention integrates an opaque shell, a partition, a centrifuge tube, a light source, a camera, a development board assembly, and a display screen. This allows liquid samples in a 1.5 mL centrifuge tube to complete image acquisition and concentration conversion under relatively sealed and optically stable conditions, thereby improving the consistency, accuracy, and on-site applicability of the detection.

[0016] The detection method using the device described in this invention includes the following steps:

[0017] (1) Open the screw cap and insert the 1.5 mL centrifuge tube containing the sample to be tested into the positioning hole on the first partition to keep the sample at the bottom of the centrifuge tube fixed and keep the tube vertical; close the screw cap so that the screw cap fits against the opening edge of the opaque shell to form a relatively sealed dark chamber space.

[0018] (2) During the detection process, the LED light provides stable illumination to the bottom of the centrifuge tube, and the camera is aimed at the sample area of ​​the centrifuge tube to collect images;

[0019] (3) The development board component identifies or selects the sample area in the acquired image and extracts RGB values, gray values, brightness values ​​or their combination features;

[0020] (4) For standard samples with known concentrations, establish a standard curve by combining the concentration with the corresponding color characteristic value; for unknown samples, substitute the color characteristic value into the standard curve to calculate the concentration of the sample to be tested.

[0021] The standard curve uses a mathematical model based on linear regression and polynomial fitting.

[0022] Compared with the prior art, this application has at least the following technical effects:

[0023] 1. The opaque shell and screw cap form a sealed dark chamber, which effectively reduces the influence of ambient light on sample image acquisition and improves detection stability and repeatability.

[0024] 2. The sample testing area, electronic component area and power supply area are arranged separately by the first partition and the second partition, which avoids mutual interference between internal structures and facilitates assembly, maintenance and subsequent integration.

[0025] 3. The position and height of the 1.5 mL centrifuge tube are defined by the first partition and positioning hole, so that the light-transmitting area of ​​the sample is stably aligned with the LED light and camera, reducing human placement error.

[0026] 4. The development board components process image color information and combine it with standard curves to achieve concentration conversion, which can be expanded from simple color reading to rapid quantitative analysis, reducing the need for subsequent manual calculations by the operator.

[0027] 5. The device adopts a miniaturized and modular structure, can be powered by a mobile power source, and displays the test results directly on the screen, making it convenient for use outside the laboratory or in resource-limited scenarios. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the overall structure of a portable digital optical inspection device;

[0029] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the display interface of a portable digital optical inspection device;

[0030] Figure 3 A top-view diagram of the line bars of a portable digital optical inspection device;

[0031] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the frontal line bars of a portable digital optical inspection device;

[0032] Figure 5 An exploded view of a portable digital optical inspection device;

[0033] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the standard curve equation;

[0034] Figure 7 This is a comparison chart of the test results of this device and the gold standard ultraviolet-visible light data.

[0035] Figures 1 to 7 The markings in the diagram are as follows: 1. Cap; 2. Electronic Components Area; 3. Display Screen; 4. LED Light; 5. Power Bank; 6. Centrifuge Tube; 7. Camera; 8. Opaque Housing; 9. Camera Control Components; 10. Standard Curve Management Area; 11. Mode Switching Area; 12. Selected Area Clearing Area; 13. Image Saving Area; 14. Parameter Display Area; 15. Image Display Area; 16. Unit Selection Area; 17. Curve Relationship Selection Area; 18. Concentration Input Area; 19. Color Value Input Area; 20. Standard Point Addition Area; 21. Parameter Reset Area; 22. Standard Curve Import Area; 23. Standard Curve Saving Area; 24. Standard Curve Equation and R² Display Area; 25. Calculation Model Area; 26. First Divider; 27. Second Divider; 28. Positioning Hole; 29. ​​Optical Channel. Detailed Implementation

[0036] It should be noted that the following embodiments and accompanying drawings are used to illustrate the basic concept of this application. The dimensions and proportions in the drawings are all schematic representations and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this application.

[0037] like Figure 1 , Figures 3 to 5 As shown, this application provides a portable digital optical detection device, including an opaque housing 8, a screw cap 1 on the top of the housing, a horizontally placed first partition 26 and a vertically placed second partition 27 inside the housing 8, a positioning hole 28 on the first partition 26 corresponding to the screw cap 1, the positioning hole 28 for fixing a centrifuge tube 6 loaded with the sample to be tested, an LED light 4 installed below the centrifuge tube 6, a camera 7 installed on the side wall of the housing 8, the lens of the camera 7 being aimed at the centrifuge tube 6; a mobile power supply 5 installed on the right side of the second partition, and a display screen 3 installed on one end of the exterior of the housing 8.

[0038] The opaque housing 8 is made of opaque material and forms a dark chamber space inside for sample detection. The screw cap 1 is located on the top of the opaque housing 8 and can be connected to the opaque housing 8 by means of threads, buckles or other detachable methods. It is used to place and remove samples and forms a light-shielding seal with the opaque housing 8 after being closed.

[0039] The first partition 26 and the second partition 27 are arranged vertically, dividing the interior of the opaque housing 8 into a sample detection area in the lower left, an electronic component area in the upper left, and a power supply area in the right.

[0040] The first partition 26 supports and fixes the transparent centrifuge tube through the positioning hole 28, and keeps the sample area relatively fixed with respect to the side camera. The second partition 27 is used to isolate the mobile power supply 5 from the electronic component area and the sample detection area, reducing the obstruction and interference of the power supply components on the optical detection space.

[0041] The first partition 26 has a positioning hole 28 that matches the outer diameter of the 1.5 mL centrifuge tube. The positioning hole 28 is cylindrical with the same shape as the upper part of the centrifuge tube and is used to support and fix the centrifuge tube, so that the centrifuge tube 6 remains vertical and stable during the test.

[0042] LED 4 is positioned at the bottom of the opaque housing 8, directly below the centrifuge tube 6. The light from LED 4 passes through the centrifuge tube 6 from bottom to top, providing stable illumination for the sample inside. Camera 7 is positioned on one side of the transparent centrifuge tube 6, with its shooting direction facing the light-transmitting area of ​​the tube. LED 4 and centrifuge tube 6 together form optical channel 29. After passing through the sample, the camera 7 captures the scattered color image or image information reflecting the sample's color change. The centrifuge tube 6 and positioning hole 28 define the centrifuge tube's position, ensuring that the sample is in a basically consistent optical path position during each test.

[0043] A development board assembly is located in the upper left electronic component area, above the first partition. This development board assembly can be a Raspberry Pi 5 or other microcomputing platform with image acquisition, data processing, and peripheral control capabilities. The development board assembly is electrically connected to the camera 7, LED 4, display screen 3, and power supply 5, respectively, and is used to control image acquisition, process color information, establish or recall standard curves, and output detection results. The display screen 3 is preferably a touchscreen, used to display acquired images, color parameters, standard curves, and sample concentration results. The display interface and button layout can be adjusted according to the software implementation and do not constitute a limitation on the hardware structure and detection principle of this application.

[0044] When using the device of this invention, open the screw cap 1 and insert the 1.5 mL centrifuge tube 6 containing the sample to be tested into the positioning hole 28 on the first partition 26 to keep the sample at the bottom of the centrifuge tube fixed and keep the tube vertical. After closing the screw cap 1, the screw cap 1 fits against the opening edge of the opaque housing 8 to form a relatively sealed dark chamber space, thereby shielding the external ambient light.

[0045] During the detection process, LED 4 provides stable illumination to the bottom of the centrifuge tube, and camera 7 captures images of the sample area of ​​the centrifuge tube. Because positioning hole 28 defines the radial position and insertion depth of the centrifuge tube, the sample area can be stably positioned within the optical channel, reducing optical path offset caused by differences in manual placement.

[0046] The development board components identify or select sample regions in the acquired images and extract RGB values, grayscale values, brightness values, or combinations thereof. For standard samples with known concentrations, a standard curve can be established between the concentration and the corresponding color feature values; for unknown samples, their color feature values ​​can be substituted into the standard curve to calculate the concentration of the sample to be tested. The standard curve can employ linear regression, polynomial fitting, or other mathematical models suitable for target detection.

[0047] like Figure 2 As shown, display screen 3 can display information such as image acquisition area, color parameters, standard curve management, and concentration output. This display is only an example; the actual software interface can be adjusted according to the detection items and user needs. The core of this application lies in achieving repeatable image acquisition and quantitative conversion through a sealed dark box, stable sample positioning, and a fixed optical channel.

[0048] like Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, in one embodiment, gold nanoparticles are used as the detection target. A standard curve is established based on samples with known concentrations, and the correlation R² reaches 0.99733. For unknown samples, the spectrophotometer measures an absorbance A of 0.6633 at 520 nm. According to Beer-Lambert's law, A=εcl, the concentration is calculated to be approximately 2.457 nM. The predicted concentration obtained by the device in this application through conversion using the standard curve is approximately 2.427 nM. The two results are close, indicating that the device in this application can achieve rapid quantitative detection of liquid colorimetric samples.

[0049] A spectrophotometer typically consists of a light source, monochromator, cuvette, sample cell, photodetector, and signal processing unit. Its working principle is to select a specific wavelength of light beam to pass through the sample in the cuvette, measure the change in transmitted light intensity, and calculate the absorbance. This type of equipment offers high detection accuracy, but often relies on standard cuvettes, a fixed optical path, a relatively stable experimental environment, and a large instrument platform.

[0050] Compared with traditional spectrophotometers, the device described in this application has significant differences in structure and operation: First, this application uses 1.5 mL centrifuge tubes directly as sample containers, and positions the centrifuge tubes through the transparent sample cell 6 and positioning hole 28, eliminating the need to transfer samples to cuvettes and reducing sample transfer loss and contamination risks; Second, this application forms a small darkroom through an opaque shell 8 and a screw cap 1, reducing the influence of ambient light through structural light shielding; Third, this application uses an LED lamp 4 to form a simplified optical channel with the transparent sample cell and centrifuge tubes, and performs quantification by acquiring color images and extracting color features, eliminating the need for a monochromator to scan the spectrum; Fourth, the development board assembly, display screen 3, and power supply 5 are integrated into the opaque shell 8, enabling on-site image acquisition, standard curve conversion, and result display.

[0051] Therefore, the advantages of this application are its compact structure, low cost, portability and integration, good sample positioning repeatability, and minimal interference from ambient light during the detection process. It is suitable for scenarios such as POCT, rapid on-site screening and simple quantitative analysis.

Claims

1. A portable digital optical inspection device, characterized in that, The device includes an opaque housing (8), with a screw cap (1) on the top of the housing. Inside the housing (8) are a horizontally placed first partition (26) and a vertically placed second partition (27). The first partition (26) has a positioning hole (28) corresponding to the screw cap (1). The positioning hole (28) is used to fix the centrifuge tube (6) containing the sample to be tested. An LED light (4) is installed below the centrifuge tube. A camera (7) is installed on the side wall of the housing (8), with the lens of the camera (7) aimed at the centrifuge tube (6). A power bank (5) is installed on the right side of the second partition (27), and a display screen (3) is installed on one end of the outer side of the housing (8).

2. The portable digital optical inspection device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The screw cap (1) is connected to the opaque housing (8) by threads or snaps.

3. The portable digital optical inspection device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The centrifuge tube (6) is a 1.5ML centrifuge tube.

4. The portable digital optical inspection device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The first partition (26) and the second partition (27) are arranged vertically, dividing the interior of the opaque housing (8) into the sample detection area in the lower left, the electronic component area in the upper left, and the power supply area in the right.

5. The portable digital optical inspection device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, In the upper left electronic component area, above the first partition, there is a development board assembly. The development board assembly is a micro computing platform using Raspberry Pi 5. The development board assembly is electrically connected to the camera (7), LED light (4), display screen (3) and power bank (5) respectively, and is used to control image acquisition, process color information, establish or call standard curves and output detection results.

6. The portable digital optical inspection device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The display screen (3) is a touch screen used to display acquired images, color parameters, standard curves and sample concentration results.

7. A detection method using the apparatus according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: (1) Open the screw cap (1) and insert the 1.5 mL centrifuge tube (6) containing the sample to be tested into the positioning hole (28) on the first partition (26) to keep the sample at the bottom of the centrifuge tube fixed and keep the tube vertical; close the screw cap (1) and the screw cap (1) fits against the opening edge of the opaque shell (8) to form a relatively sealed dark chamber space. (2) During the detection process, the LED light (4) provides stable illumination to the bottom of the centrifuge tube (6), and the camera (7) is aimed at the sample area of ​​the centrifuge tube to collect images; (3) The development board component identifies or selects the sample area in the acquired image and extracts RGB values, gray values, brightness values ​​or their combination features; (4) For standard samples with known concentrations, establish a standard curve by combining the concentration with the corresponding color characteristic value; for unknown samples, substitute the color characteristic value into the standard curve to calculate the concentration of the sample to be tested.

8. The detection method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The standard curve uses a mathematical model based on linear regression and polynomial fitting.

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