Infrared Vessel Imaging for Accurate Noninvasive Glucose Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluorescence analysis methods for blood glucose testing inaccurately position venous blood vessels due to mixed spectral signals from skin and blood vessel areas, and existing non-invasive methods like Raman spectroscopy are bulky and expensive.
Innovation Solution
An image processing method using infrared light to accurately identify blood vessels based on grayscale differences, combined with fluorescence spectroscopy for non-invasive glucose testing, employing a convolution kernel to enhance accuracy and miniaturization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If spectral data collection is directly performed on the image including both blood vessel and skin areas, then the testing process is simple, but the test result accuracy deteriorates due to mixed spectral signals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the imaging area into multiple regions based on grayscale thresholding, separating blood vessel areas from skin areas. This segmentation allows selective spectral data collection from blood vessel regions only, eliminating the mixing of skin and blood vessel signals while maintaining a relatively simple automated processing workflow.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts spectral data specifically from blood vessel areas by identifying regions with grayscale values below a threshold. This extraction process isolates the blood vessel signal from the skin background, improving measurement precision while keeping the overall process manageable through automated region-based selection.
2Measurement precision
If Raman spectroscopy is used for non-invasive blood glucose measurement, then measurement accuracy is improved, but device size and cost increase due to laboratory-level system requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs fluorescence spectroscopy with readily available light sources and detectors instead of expensive Raman spectroscopy systems. This substitution uses more accessible, cost-effective components that can be manufactured at lower costs and in smaller form factors, making the device suitable for commercial and portable applications while maintaining non-invasive measurement capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the complex optical system required for Raman spectroscopy with a simpler fluorescence-based system. This substitution reduces mechanical and optical complexity, allowing for miniaturization and lower cost while achieving non-invasive blood glucose measurement through fluorescence signal detection from blood vessel areas.
3Measurement precision
If infrared light is used to identify blood vessels based on grayscale differences, then blood vessel positioning accuracy is improved, but the system requires additional image processing complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the inherent grayscale parameter differences between blood vessel areas and skin areas in infrared images. By setting a threshold on the grayscale values, the system automatically distinguishes blood vessels from surrounding tissue. This parameter-based approach achieves accurate positioning through simple threshold comparison rather than complex algorithms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent leverages the natural optical properties of blood vessels under infrared illumination, where blood absorbs infrared light and creates distinct grayscale patterns. The blood vessels essentially mark themselves through their inherent absorption characteristics, allowing the system to automatically identify and position them without requiring complex external marking or intervention techniques.
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
Accurately identifies blood vessel locations for improved glucose testing accuracy, enabling non-invasive, cost-effective, and real-time analysis without electrochemical reactions.
Implementation Method 1
Because hemoglobin in human blood has strong absorption of infrared wavelength light waves
Implementation Method 2
A fluorescence analysis method means a method for qualitative or quantitative analysis of fluorescence that can reflect characteristics of some substances and that is produced during a process in which the substances are in an excited state after being irradiated with ultraviolet light
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention provides an image processing method and system in analyte testing, a medium, and a device. The method includes: obtaining an infrared grayscale image of a first area; converting the image into a two-dimensional matrix, performing derivation, and recording a quantity of pixel grayscale values that remain monotonous on both sides of the minimum value point; creating an equal-size matrix of a two-dimensional matrix, and performing non-zero substitution on the minimum value point; and using a matrix as a convolution kernel to convolute the created equal-size matrix, where a probability that a position corresponding to the point is in a target area is greater as a value of an element in the obtained convoluted matrix is greater, sequencing elements and corresponding positions thereof in the convolution matrix in descending order, and selecting the target area.