Handheld Multimodal Wound Imaging for Bacteria and Stem Cells
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wound care methods rely heavily on subjective visual assessment and invasive techniques like bacterial swabs and tissue biopsies, which are time-consuming, costly, and often fail to detect early bacterial infections or track stem cell proliferation, lacking objective, real-time biological and molecular information.
Innovation Solution
A portable, modular handheld imaging system combining white light and fluorescent imaging with interchangeable optical housings for capturing biological and molecular changes in wounds, enabling real-time, non-invasive detection of bacteria and stem cells.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If subjective visual assessment and invasive techniques (bacterial swabs, tissue biopsies) are used for wound care, then basic wound inspection can be performed, but the process is time-consuming, costly, and fails to provide real-time biological and molecular information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces invasive mechanical procedures (swabs, biopsies) with non-invasive optical imaging systems that use fluorescent and white light cameras to capture wound images, eliminating the need for physical sample collection while providing real-time molecular information through fluorescent markers
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces fluorescent markers as intermediaries that bind to specific biological targets (bacteria, stem cells, matrix metalloproteinases) and emit fluorescent signals when excited by specific wavelengths of light, enabling indirect detection of molecular processes without direct physical intervention
2Reliability
If invasive techniques like bacterial swabs and tissue biopsies are used, then samples can be collected for analysis, but the process is costly and often insensitive for detecting early infections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the detection parameter from visual appearance to fluorescent emission intensity, allowing detection of bacterial and cellular processes at molecular levels before they manifest as visible wound changes, thereby increasing detection sensitivity for early infections
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a multi-functional imaging system that can simultaneously perform white light imaging for anatomical context and fluorescent imaging for molecular detection using the same device platform, reducing the need for multiple separate diagnostic tools
3Measurement precision
If qualitative visual assessment is used for wound monitoring, then gross wound appearance can be observed, but underlying biological and molecular changes at tissue and cellular levels remain undetected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adds a fluorescent imaging dimension to the traditional visual assessment, allowing simultaneous capture of anatomical structure (white light) and molecular function (fluorescent signals) to provide multi-dimensional wound characterization without increasing operational complexity
4Productivity
If indiscriminate collection of bacterial swabs and tissue biopsies is performed, then samples can be obtained for bacteriological analysis, but results are delayed and treatment timing is affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the wound itself to provide diagnostic information through its fluorescent signature, eliminating the need to extract and transport samples to external laboratories, thereby providing immediate on-site diagnosis and treatment guidance
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
Provides objective, real-time assessment of wound biology and molecular changes, facilitating early detection of bacterial infections and monitoring stem cell proliferation, enhancing wound care with precise, non-invasive imaging.
Implementation Method 1
A first filter is configured to detect and permit passage of fluorescent light having a wavelength corresponding to one or more of bacterial fluorescence, bacterial autofluorescence, tissue fluorescence, and tissue autofluorescence
Implementation Method 2
A first filter is configured to detect and permit passage of optical signals, responsive to illumination of a target surface with the excitation light and having a wavelength corresponding to one or more of bacterial fluorescence... to a first image sensor
Data Source
AI summary
A portable, handheld multi-modal imaging system is disclosed. The multi-modal system comprises a bacterial detection module and a target measurement module. A processor of the system is configured to receive optical signals from the bacterial detection module and the target measurement module and to output a representation of the target.