Decoupled Antennas for Non-Invasive Analyte Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current non-invasive analyte detection methods using spectroscopic techniques face challenges such as lack of specificity, interference from temperature fluctuations, skin compounds, and pigments, and complexity in device placement, particularly when detecting analytes like glucose in biological tissues.
Innovation Solution
A non-invasive analyte sensor system utilizing decoupled transmit and receive antennas operating in radio or microwave frequency bands, with intentionally different geometries and spacings to minimize direct electromagnetic coupling, allowing for accurate detection and notification of analyte presence or concentration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If transmit and receive antennas are placed close together for compact device design, then device size is reduced, but direct electromagnetic coupling between antennas increases causing measurement interference
Solution Approach 1:
The transmit antenna and receive antenna are designed with different geometries - the transmit antenna has a first geometry while the receive antenna has a second geometry that is intentionally different. This asymmetry prevents direct electromagnetic coupling between the antennas while maintaining compact spacing, thereby resolving the contradiction between small device size and accurate analyte detection
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the antenna system are assigned different geometric properties - the transmit antenna region has one geometric configuration optimized for signal transmission, while the receive antenna region has a different geometric configuration optimized for signal reception with minimal coupling. This local differentiation enables compact placement without measurement interference
2Ease of operation
If conventional spectroscopic techniques are used for non-invasive analyte detection, then non-invasive measurement is achieved, but specificity to the analyte of interest is reduced due to interference from temperature fluctuations, skin compounds, and pigments
Solution Approach 1:
The electromagnetic spectrum is segmented into multiple frequency bands, with different frequency bands targeted at different analytes. By operating in radio or microwave frequency ranges and using decoupled antenna geometries, the system can specifically target analyte molecular vibrations while filtering out interference from temperature fluctuations, skin compounds, and pigments that operate at different frequencies, thereby maintaining non-invasive measurement capability while improving analyte specificity
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 detects analytes with improved specificity and reduced interference, enabling non-invasive monitoring of analytes like glucose by ensuring that the response measured is from the analyte rather than direct signal transmission, facilitating accurate notifications based on analyte levels.
Implementation Method 1
transmit a generated transmit signal that is in a radio or microwave frequency range of the electromagnetic spectrum into a target containing an analyte of interest
Implementation Method 2
detect a response resulting from transmission of the transmit signal by the transmit antenna into the target
Implementation Method 3
The transmit and receive antennas are decoupled from one another which helps to improve the detection capability of the non-invasive analyte sensor. The decoupling between the transmit and receive antennas can be achieved using any one or more techniques that causes as much of the signal as possible that is transmitted by the transmit antenna to enter the target and that minimizes or even eliminates the amount of electromagnetic energy that is directly received by the receive antenna from the transmit antenna without traveling into the target
Data Source
AI summary
A method for providing notification regarding one or more analytes includes detecting an amount of each of the one or more analytes using a non-invasive sensor, determining a notification to present based on the amount of at least one of the one or more analytes and notification criteria using a processor, and sending an instruction directing presentation of the notification. The method can further include presenting the notification. The notification can include vibration, sound, or visible components such as light, text, or images. The notification criteria can include upper thresholds, lower thresholds, or the analyte being within or outside of bounded ranges. Systems performing the method can include the sensor and optionally one or more of a mobile device and a remote server, and the notification can be presented in a device including the sensor or a separate device such as the mobile device.