Miniaturized IVF Chambers With Independent Environment Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cell culture systems face challenges in maintaining stable environment conditions due to environmental fluctuations and require significant human labor, leading to potential deviations from optimal conditions and reduced success rates in processes like IVF.

Innovation Solution

A miniaturized incubator system with separate chambers and an environment control subsystem that uses airflow and non-airflow mechanisms to maintain precise temperature, humidity, and air composition, along with automated manipulator assemblies to minimize human intervention and adapt to changing conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If human professionals or technicians are involved in cell culture operations, then laborious efforts can be performed, but environment conditions within incubators may change or deviate from favorable conditions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehuman labor capabilityVSAvoidenvironment condition stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables automated self-service operations through robotic manipulators that can independently perform cell culture tasks such as media change, embryo transfer, and incubation monitoring without human intervention, thereby maintaining stable environment conditions while achieving laborious operational tasks

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Manual mechanical operations by human technicians are replaced with automated robotic manipulators equipped with specialized tools, allowing precise control of culture vessels while eliminating the environmental fluctuations caused by human presence and actions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Adaptability or versatility

If environmental fluctuations occur in cell culture systems, then natural variations happen, but negative effects are introduced to cell culture success

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenvironmental variation toleranceVSAvoidcell culture success rate

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system incorporates multiple sensors that continuously monitor environment conditions (temperature, humidity, CO2 levels, pH) and provide real-time feedback to the control system, which automatically adjusts parameters to maintain optimal conditions and prevent negative fluctuations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The incubation system is divided into separate isolated chambers, each with independent environment control, allowing different cell culture experiments to be conducted under optimized conditions without cross-contamination or environmental interference from other chambers

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Volume of stationary object

If a single large incubator chamber is used, then space utilization is achieved, but environment control precision for different cell culture activities is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveincubator chamber volumeVSAvoidenvironment control precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of stationary objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The large incubator is segmented into multiple smaller isolated chambers, each capable of independent environment control with precise regulation of temperature, humidity, and gas composition, allowing different cell culture activities to be conducted under their specific optimal conditions simultaneously

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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 maintains optimal environment conditions for cell culture, reducing human error and fluctuations, thereby enhancing the success rate of processes like IVF by using automated control and manipulation techniques.

Implementation Method 1

supply, via a first airflow mode determined based on a first cell culture activity conducted inside the first chamber, a first airflow to the first chamber to adjust the first environment condition toward a first target environment condition

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAirflow: Convection

Data Source

PatentUS20250382558A1Miniaturized compartment system for in-vitro fertilization (IVF)

Publication Date: 2025.12.18 IVFPRO LLC

AI summary

The present disclosure generally relates to miniaturized chambers for automatically conducting cell culture under controlled environment conditions. In some implementation examples, a system includes a first chamber, a second chamber, and a control subsystem. The control subsystem detects a first environment condition associated with the first chamber and a second environment condition associated with the second chamber. Based at least on the first environment condition and a first airflow mode, the control subsystem supplies a first airflow to the first chamber to adjust the first environment condition toward a first target environment condition. Based at least on the second environment condition and a second airflow mode, the control subsystem supplies a second airflow to the second chamber to adjust the second environment condition toward a second target environment condition.