Algae Sample Collection Kit with Integrated Sensors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for collecting plant samples, particularly algae, face challenges in ensuring biofunctionality, purity, and stability due to fluctuations in collection and transport conditions, making it difficult to meet stringent quality assurance standards like GMP.
Innovation Solution
A sample collection kit equipped with sensors, data loggers, and standardized tools for collection, transport, and processing, which includes a modular container system for maintaining sterility and traceability, ensuring consistent conditions and reducing contamination risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual harvesting and transport methods are used, then collection simplicity is maintained, but biofunctionality consistency and purity deteriorate due to fluctuations in collection and transport conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The collection system is divided into separate functional modules: sampling devices, transport containers with environmental control, data logging equipment, and processing kits. Each module operates independently but integrates through standardized interfaces, allowing manual operation while maintaining controlled conditions for biofunctionality consistency.
Solution Approach 2:
Data loggers and sensors act as intermediaries between the physical collection process and the recording system. These devices automatically monitor and record environmental parameters (temperature, humidity, time) without requiring manual intervention, thereby ensuring consistent data collection while reducing human error and maintaining reliability.
2Manufacturing precision
If standardized working equipment is provided for all collection and processing steps, then manufacturing precision and reproducibility improve, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The working equipment is designed as universal tools that can perform multiple functions across different collection and processing steps. For example, standardized containers serve both as transport vessels and as part of the processing system, while multi-functional sensors monitor various environmental parameters. This reduces the total number of specialized devices needed while maintaining precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system standardizes key process parameters (temperature, humidity, time, light exposure) and provides equipment that automatically maintains these parameters within defined ranges. By changing the approach from manual parameter control to automated parameter maintenance, the system achieves high reproducibility without requiring complex manual procedures.
3Reliability
If comprehensive data recording and traceability are implemented, then quality assurance and purity control improve, but information loss and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Data loggers continuously monitor environmental conditions and provide feedback to the recording system. This automated feedback loop ensures that all critical parameters are recorded without manual intervention, reducing information loss while maintaining organized data flow. The system automatically alerts operators when parameters exceed acceptable ranges, enabling timely corrections.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary data collection and characterization at the point of sampling, before the samples are transported or processed. By recording all relevant information (environmental conditions, sample identification, timing) immediately at collection, the system prevents information loss during subsequent steps and simplifies data management through centralized storage.
4Reliability
If single-use working equipment is provided, then contamination risks are reduced and purity improves, but loss of substance and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs disposable sampling containers, sensors, and processing tools that are used once and then discarded. These single-use items are designed to be inexpensive and easily replaceable, ensuring that the cost of equipment consumption is minimal compared to the benefit of contamination control. The disposable nature eliminates cleaning and sterilization steps, reducing time loss and maintaining purity.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a sample collection kit (100) for collecting plant samples, in particular algae samples for biomedical applications, which sample collection kit comprises at least one sample container for holding plant samples, a plurality of sensors, by means of which sample data can be captured, a data-recording apparatus for recording the sample data, an arrangement of tools, which has collection tools designed for harvesting the plant samples and processing tools designed for processing the plant samples, an arrangement of devices, which has auxiliary devices that can be used in the collection, transport, and processing of the plant samples, a container apparatus (70), which is designed to hold the arrangement of tools and the arrangement of devices in isolation from the environment, and identification markings (80), which contain identification data and are applied to the at least one sample container (70) to the collection tools, and to the processing tools. The invention further relates to a sample collection method.