Implantable Optical Sensor Platform for Real-Time Analyte Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current optical sensors for measuring analyte concentrations in living animals face challenges in accurately detecting various analytes within the body, particularly in providing improved sensing devices that can effectively measure analyte concentrations in real-time and with minimal interference from the body's environment.
Innovation Solution
The development of an optical sensor system that includes indicator molecules, a semiconductor substrate, photodetectors, a light source, a temperature transducer, a comparator, an analog-to-digital converter, and an inductive element, which allows for wireless transmission and reception of measurement data, enabling precise analyte concentration measurement within a living animal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a light source is used to excite indicator molecules for analyte detection, then measurement capability is enabled, but noise from the light source interferes with detection accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the optical detection system into separate functional channels: a reference channel that detects light without analyte interaction and a measurement channel that detects analyte-modulated light. This segmentation allows the system to subtract background noise and light source fluctuations from the analyte signal, improving measurement precision while maintaining the necessary light excitation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces indicator molecules as intermediary substances that interact with both the light source and the analyte. These molecules convert the analyte concentration information into optical signal changes (fluorescence intensity or wavelength shifts) that can be detected by photodetectors, enabling indirect but precise measurement while filtering out direct light source noise.
2Productivity
If optical sensors are implanted within a living animal for real-time analyte monitoring, then continuous measurement capability is achieved, but foreign body response increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs thin-film encapsulation and flexible substrate materials for the implantable sensor device. This design minimizes the mechanical mismatch between the rigid sensor components and the soft biological tissue, reducing foreign body response while enabling continuous real-time monitoring of analytes such as glucose and oxygen in living animals.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple sensor components are integrated on a semiconductor substrate, then device complexity increases, but manufacturing precision improves
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple sensor components including photodetectors, light sources, indicator molecules, and electronic circuitry onto a single semiconductor substrate. This merging of components simplifies the overall device structure, reduces alignment errors, and improves manufacturing precision through standardized semiconductor fabrication processes, despite the increased functional integration.
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 system enables accurate and reliable measurement of analyte concentrations, such as glucose and oxygen, by minimizing noise from the light source and utilizing a reference channel for improved accuracy, facilitating real-time monitoring with reduced foreign body response.
Implementation Method 1
a light source, e.g., a light-emitting diode ("LED"), is located at least partially within a layer of material containing fluorescent indicator molecules
Implementation Method 2
causes the indicator molecules to fluoresce
Implementation Method 3
A high-pass filter allows fluorescent light emitted by the indicator molecules to reach the photosensitive element (photodetector) such that fluorescent light emitted by the indicator molecules impacts the photodetector such that an electrical signal is generated
Implementation Method 4
The material which contains the indicator molecules is permeable to the analyte. Thus, the analyte can diffuse into the material from the surrounding test medium, thereby affecting the fluorescence of the indicator molecules
Implementation Method 5
The input/output circuit fabricated in the semiconductor substrate and may be configured to wirelessly transmit via the inductive element measurement information and wirelessly receive via the inductive element a measurement command and power
Data Source
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Figure 1C
AI summary
The present invention relates to an optical sensor that may be implanted within a living animal (e.g., a human) and may be used to measure the concentration of an analyte in a medium within the animal. The optical sensor may wirelessly receive and may be capable of bi-directional data communication. The optical sensor may include a semiconductor substrate in which various circuit components, one or more photodetectors and/or a light source may be fabricated. The circuit components fabricated in the semiconductor substrate may include a comparator, an analog to digital converter, a temperature transducer, a measurement controller, a rectifier and/or a non-volatile storage medium. The comparator may output a signal indicative of the difference between the outputs of first and second photodetectors. The measurement controller may receive digitized temperature, photodetector and/or comparator measurements and generate measurement information, which may be wirelessly transmitted from the optical sensor.