Channel-Nested Fibre Sensor for Protected In-Vivo Fluid Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sensors for in-vivo diagnostics face challenges in miniaturization, environmental protection, and efficient fluid handling, which affect their accuracy and durability during insertion and measurement processes.
Innovation Solution
A sensor design incorporating a fibre with integrated optical and electrical sensors, protected by a sensing chamber within a channel, featuring microfluidic flow channels and pumps for controlled fluid flow, enabling in-vivo diagnostic tests with enhanced protection and precision.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the sensor is miniaturized to facilitate insertion into the patient's body, then the ease of operation is improved, but the protection of the sensing chamber from mechanical damage deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The sensing chamber is nested within the fibre structure, with the fibre itself forming the protective enclosure. The channel is formed within the fibre material, creating a nested configuration where the sensing chamber is protected by the fibre's structural integrity while maintaining miniaturization for easy insertion.
Solution Approach 2:
The fibre acts as a flexible protective shell enclosing the sensing chamber. The fibre material provides mechanical protection while maintaining flexibility for insertion, and the channel is formed within this flexible structure to protect the sensing elements from mechanical damage.
2Productivity
If the sensing chamber is exposed to the environment for fluid access, then the productivity of fluid handling is improved, but the measurement precision deteriorates due to mechanical damage and noise
Solution Approach 1:
The channel acts as an intermediary structure that allows fluid to reach the sensing chamber while maintaining physical separation between the external environment and the sensing elements. The channel provides a controlled pathway for fluid flow while the fibre structure protects the sensing chamber from mechanical damage and environmental noise.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensing chamber is nested within the fibre, with the channel formed within the fibre material providing controlled fluid access. This nested configuration allows fluid to reach the sensing elements through the channel while the fibre structure maintains protection against mechanical damage and environmental interference, preserving measurement precision.
3Productivity
If multiple sensors are integrated into the fibre for simultaneous sensing, then the productivity of diagnostic testing is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple sensing elements are merged within the single fibre structure, with optical and electrical sensors integrated into the same channel. This combining approach enables simultaneous sensing of multiple variables while maintaining a unified, compact device structure that reduces overall complexity compared to separate sensor systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The fibre structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides mechanical protection, guides fluid flow through the channel, houses optical and electrical sensing elements, and enables simultaneous multi-parameter sensing. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, thereby reducing overall device complexity while improving productivity.
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 sensor provides robust, repeatable, and quantifiable measurements by maintaining a controlled sensing environment, reducing mechanical damage and noise, and allowing simultaneous optical and electrical sensing of multiple variables.
Implementation Method 1
The sensor comprises an optical fibre positioned within the channel such that the sensing element is exposed within the sensing chamber
Implementation Method 2
The first channel comprises a microfluidic flow channel or groove. The microfluidic flow channel enables microfluidic connections to take place along the length of the fibre
Data Source
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AI summary
A sensor comprising an inlet and an outlet, a sensing chamber positioned between the inlet and the outlet, and a sensing element operatively connected to the sensing chamber, wherein the sensor comprises a first fibre formed from a drawable material, the fibre comprising a first channel extending between the inlet and the outlet, the sensing chamber being formed within the channel.