Cell Culture Vibration Sensor for Operator Skill Evaluation

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cell culture containers lack effective means to detect and analyze vibration or displacement, making it difficult to determine its impact on cultivation conditions and operator skill level, especially in controlled incubators.

Innovation Solution

A measuring unit with sensors such as acceleration, gyro, and geomagnetic sensors is attached to the cell culture container to detect position, posture, impact, and vibration, allowing for non-contact measurement and wireless data transmission, which is stored and used to evaluate cultivation conditions and operator skill.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If vibration or displacement is applied to a cell culture container during culture, then operator skill level may be improved through experience, but cultivation condition deteriorates and cell culture quality worsens

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperator skill levelVSAvoidcultivation condition

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor detects vibration and displacement events before they significantly impact cell culture quality, allowing for immediate intervention or correction of operator handling techniques, thus preventing deterioration of cultivation conditions while maintaining operational flexibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The detection results are provided to enable objective evaluation of operator skill level and to analyze the relationship between handling operations and cultivation conditions, creating a feedback loop that improves operator technique while maintaining reliable cultivation conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Device complexity

If no countermeasure against vibration is taken in an incubator, then device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is maintained, but measurement precision of cultivation conditions deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveincubator configurationVSAvoidcultivation condition detection

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The vibration detection function is segmented from the main incubator system and implemented as a separate measuring unit attached to the cell culture container, allowing the incubator to remain simple while enabling precise measurement of cultivation conditions through the dedicated sensor module

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The sensor acts as an intermediary between the cell culture container and the evaluation system, detecting vibration and displacement events without requiring changes to the incubator environment, thus maintaining device simplicity while enabling precise measurement of cultivation conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Measurement precision

If a sensor is attached to the cell culture container to detect vibration and displacement, then measurement precision of cultivation conditions is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevibration and displacement detectionVSAvoidcell culture container configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor is integrated with the measuring unit which is attached to the cell culture container, combining the detection function with the existing container structure rather than adding separate complex systems, thus improving measurement precision while minimizing increases in device complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

Enables objective evaluation of operator skill and detection of vibrations affecting cell culture conditions, preventing undesirable cultivation outcomes and improving handling techniques through data analysis and automated control.

Implementation Method 1

a sensor which is configured to detect at least one of a position, a posture, an impact, an orientation, and vibration. The sensor may be one of an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, an impact sensor, an orientation sensor, a magnetic position sensor, and a GPS sensor.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAcceleration sensing: Accelerometer

Implementation Method 2

a sensor which is configured to detect at least one of a position, a posture, an impact, an orientation, and vibration. The sensor may be one of an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, an impact sensor, an orientation sensor, a magnetic position sensor, and a GPS sensor.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGyroscopic effect: Gyroscope

Implementation Method 3

a sensor which is configured to detect at least one of a position, a posture, an impact, an orientation, and vibration. The sensor may be one of an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, an impact sensor, an orientation sensor, a magnetic position sensor, and a GPS sensor.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMagnetic field sensing: Magnetic Field

Data Source

PatentEP2644691B1Measuring unit to be attached to cell culture container, cell culture container, and cultivation condition monitoring system

Publication Date: 2019.08.21 NIHON KOHDEN CORP

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AI summary

A measuring unit which is to be attached to a cell culture container configured to accommodate cells to be cultured and a culture solution, includes: a measurer which is configured to measure information related to the cells and the culture solution, in a non-contact manner; and a sensor which is configured to detect at least one of a position, a posture, an impact, an orientation, and vibration.