Biological Analysis Device Using Segmented Optical Mirrors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fluorometers face challenges in efficiently analyzing multiple biological samples due to increased complexity in optical systems, leading to cross-contamination of excitation and emission light, which skews concentration measurements and requires larger, more expensive equipment with higher disposable waste.
Innovation Solution
A biological analysis system with a uniquely designed excitation module and emission module that includes a collimator, arrayed excitation mirrors, and emission filters to minimize stray excitation light and prevent cross-contamination, allowing for simultaneous analysis of multiple samples without specialized disposables, using a compact footprint.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multi-sample analysis is implemented using conventional fluorometers, then the number of samples analyzed simultaneously increases, but the optical system complexity increases leading to cross-contamination of excitation and emission light
Solution Approach 1:
The optical system is segmented into separate excitation and emission light paths using individual mirrors for each sample well. Each mirror independently directs excitation light to its corresponding well and collects emission light, preventing cross-contamination while enabling multi-sample analysis. This segmentation allows the system to handle multiple samples without the optical paths interfering with each other.
Solution Approach 2:
Individual mirrors serve as intermediary elements between the excitation light source and each sample well, and between each well and the emission detector. These mirrors mediate the light paths, ensuring that excitation and emission light from different wells do not cross-contaminate each other, thus maintaining measurement accuracy in multi-sample configurations.
2Productivity
If the number of samples analyzed simultaneously increases, then throughput increases, but stray excitation light and cross-contamination increase skewing measurements
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the detection process by assigning dedicated mirrors to individual sample wells. This segmentation ensures that stray excitation light from one well does not reach the detector via another well's optical path, thereby maintaining measurement precision even when analyzing multiple samples simultaneously at high throughput.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and removes stray excitation light from the emission light path using individual mirrors positioned to reflect only the desired emission light from each well to the detector. By taking out the harmful stray light component, the system maintains accurate concentration measurements while achieving high throughput multi-sample analysis.
3Productivity
If conventional multi-sample devices are used, then multiple samples can be analyzed, but the equipment size increases and disposable waste increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple optical paths into a single compact configuration by using a series of individually adjustable mirrors that share common optical components. This merging approach allows multi-sample analysis capability to be achieved without requiring proportionally larger equipment, as the mirrors enable multiple samples to be processed through a shared excitation source and detection system.
Solution Approach 2:
The mirrors serve multiple functions: they direct excitation light to individual wells, collect emission light from each well, and can be independently adjusted to accommodate different sample configurations. This multi-functionality reduces the need for specialized components for each sample, thereby reducing overall equipment size while maintaining multi-sample analysis capability.
4Productivity
If conventional multi-sample devices are used, then multiple samples can be analyzed, but disposable waste increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables users to employ their own standard sample containers rather than requiring specialized disposable plates or wells. The individually adjustable mirrors allow the system to adapt to user-provided containers, eliminating the need for disposable multi-sample plates and thereby reducing disposable waste while maintaining the ability to analyze multiple samples simultaneously.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively reduces stray excitation light, prevents cross-contamination, and maintains a small footprint, enabling efficient multi-sample analysis with accurate measurements and reduced waste, while using standard sample containers.
Implementation Method 1
a collimator element configured to receive excitation light from at least one excitation light source and to transmit collimated excitation light along an excitation light path
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of excitation mirrors arrayed along the excitation light path, wherein each excitation mirror is disposed at an acute angle relative to a first direction of the excitation light path and configured to reflect a respective beam of collimated excitation light along a second direction of the excitation light path
Implementation Method 3
The emission module includes a plurality of emission filters configured to substantially block stray excitation light
Implementation Method 4
each photodetector is configured to receive emission light transmitted in a third direction from a respective sample receptacle
Implementation Method 5
Fluorescence is the emission of light, often in the visible range, by a compound in response to its excitation by higher energy electromagnetic radiation
Data Source
AI summary
A biological analysis system can include an excitation module and an emission module. The excitation module can include a collimator element for receiving excitation light from the excitation light source and transmitting collimated excitation light in a first direction, and a plurality of excitation mirrors arrayed along the excitation light path, each excitation mirror disposed at an acute angle relative to the first direction and configured to reflect collimated excitation light along a second direction. The emission module can be positioned to receive excitation light transmitted along the second direction and can include a sample block comprising a plurality of sample receptacles positioned to receive a beam of collimated excitation light, and a plurality of photodetectors configured to receive emission light transmitted from a respective sample receptacle in a direction transverse to the second direction of the excitation light path.