Electro-active Optical Phantoms for Biomedical Imaging Calibration
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Biomedical optical devices require calibration phantoms that can mimic the temporal variations of tissue optical properties, such as vascular reactivity and oxidative demand, but existing solutions like elastomeric materials with chromagens are complex and bulky, while acoustic-optical cells attenuate the optical field.
Innovation Solution
The use of electro-active devices, such as twisted nematic liquid crystals or electro-chromic polymers, embedded in dense scattering media, which can be electronically modulated to vary opacity and mimic hemodynamic responses, allowing for precise calibration of biomedical optical devices and tomographic imaging systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If elastomeric materials containing chromagens are used to measure dynamic states, then time-varying optical signals can be produced, but complex fluidic control devices are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical fluidic control systems with electronic control. Electro-active devices (liquid crystals or electro-chromic polymers) are embedded in the elastomeric phantom material, allowing optical property modulation through applied voltage rather than mechanical fluid injection. This substitution eliminates complex fluidic control devices while maintaining the ability to produce time-varying optical signals for dynamic state measurement
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the control parameter from mechanical (fluid pressure and flow) to electrical (voltage applied to electro-active devices). By embedding electro-active materials that change their optical properties in response to electrical stimuli, the system achieves dynamic optical modulation through simple electrical control circuits instead of complex fluidic systems
2Ease of operation
If acoustic-optical cells are used to electrically modulate opacity, then electrical control is achieved, but bulky support mechanics attenuate the incident optical field
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses thin films of electro-chromic polymers or liquid crystal layers embedded within the elastomeric phantom material. These thin electro-active layers provide electrical control of opacity without the bulky support mechanics of traditional acoustic-optical cells. The thin film structure minimizes optical field attenuation while maintaining electrical controllability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite material system combining elastomeric base material with embedded electro-active devices. This composite structure integrates the optical scattering properties of the elastomer with the electrical modulation capability of the electro-active materials, achieving both electrical control and minimal optical attenuation in a unified structure
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
This approach enables accurate calibration and quantification of optical properties, improving the accuracy and precision of image recovery algorithms and disease detection in biomedical imaging, by mimicking complex biological responses with high repeatability and fidelity.
Implementation Method 1
The electro-active device includes a twisted nematic liquid crystal
Implementation Method 2
The electro-active device includes an electro-chromic polymer
Implementation Method 3
The electro-active device is embedded in a dense scattering medium
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system for calibrating an optical tomographic imaging system that is configured to execute time-series optical measurements of a target's response to incident optical energy is presented. An electro-active device that is configured to be electronically modulated to control the electro-active device's opacity is embedded in a dense scattering medium. A known hemodynamic response pattern is selected and at least one wavelength of optical energy that produces the known hemodynamic response pattern is determined. A wavelength-dependent driving voltage function is then computed. A voltage is then applied to the electro-active device according to the wavelength-dependent driving voltage function. Optical energy is then transmitted to the scattering medium at the at least one wavelength and a hemodynamic response for the target is determined. The known hemodynamic response pattern and the determined hemodynamic response pattern are then compared.