Mobile Audio Interface Voltammetric Analysis System

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing low-cost sensing systems for chemical and biosensing in remote or resource-poor environments often require external active peripheral devices, increasing costs and inconvenience, while there is a need for more accessible and cost-effective solutions.

Innovation Solution

A voltammetric analysis system utilizing a mobile computing device's audio interface to generate driving voltage waveforms and measure current, eliminating the need for additional hardware by using the headset port for output and microphone input for voltage and current measurement, effectively doubling the peak potential and enabling AC perturbation for voltammetric analysis.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If external active peripheral devices are used to perform key sensor functions, then sensor functionality is achieved, but cost and device complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesensor functionalityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple sensor functions (potentiostat, waveform generation, data acquisition, signal processing) into a single mobile computing device. The audio interface serves dual purposes: generating the driving voltage waveform through the audio output and measuring the current response through the audio input, eliminating the need for separate external devices for each function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The mobile computing device's audio interface is used for multiple functions simultaneously. The audio output generates the voltammetric driving waveform, while the audio input measures the current response. This multi-functional use of a single component reduces overall system complexity and cost while maintaining sensor functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If external active peripheral devices are used, then sensor functions are performed, but additional costs and inconvenience arise

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesensor functionsVSAvoidcost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The mobile computing device uses its own built-in audio interface components to perform sensor functions. The audio output and input circuits, which are standard features of mobile devices, serve the dual purpose of waveform generation and current measurement, eliminating the need for additional external active peripheral devices and reducing overall system cost.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The audio interface is utilized for multiple sensor functions including waveform generation, current measurement, and data acquisition. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for separate external devices, reducing both component costs and system complexity while maintaining full sensor functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Device complexity

If audio interface is used for waveform generation and measurement, then hardware requirements are reduced, but signal accuracy may be affected

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehardware requirementsVSAvoidsignal accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system employs feedback through the audio interface to continuously monitor and adjust the voltammetric measurement process. The audio input captures the current response in real-time, and the mobile device's processing capabilities enable real-time signal analysis and correction, maintaining measurement precision despite using a consumer-grade audio interface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system optimizes measurement precision by carefully selecting and adjusting audio interface parameters such as sampling rate, gain settings, and frequency range. By tuning these parameters to match the specific requirements of voltammetric measurements, the system achieves adequate signal accuracy using the available audio interface capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 allows for low-cost, portable, and efficient voltammetric analysis without additional hardware, providing effective sensing capabilities suitable for resource-poor settings, with adjustable parameters for sensitivity and dynamic range control, and enabling direct data transmission for remote healthcare applications.

Implementation Method 1

a voltammetric analysis system for conducting voltammetric analysis of an analyte in a voltammetric cell

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectrochemical measurement: Electrolysis

Data Source

PatentEP3430386B1Voltammetric analysis system, a method for voltammetric analysis and a computer program product for use with the voltammetric analysis system
Publication Date: 2023.11.01 LA TROBE UNIVERSITY
  • EP3430386B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3430386B1 patent drawingFigure 3A
  • EP3430386B1 patent drawingFigure 3B

AI summary

A low-cost voltammetric analysis system using a mobile computing device (300) having a microprocessor (320), a memory (324) and an audio interface (332, 334). The audio interface comprises an audio signal output (332) having first and second channels and an audio signal input (334). The interface is connectible to a voltammetric cell (102) comprising first and second electrodes (104, 106), and the memory of the device contains instructions (336) which, when executed by the microprocessor, cause the device to: generate an output voltage waveform (310, 312) between the first and second channels of the audio signal output, the output voltage waveform comprising a time-varying voltammetric driving potential and an AC perturbation; simultaneously with generating the output voltage waveform, capture an input voltage waveform (314) received at the audio signal input; and record (420) the input voltage waveform as a voltammetric response waveform (314) within a data store (324).