Mold Sensor Using pH Substrate and Optical Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for detecting mold are labor-intensive, expensive, and require laboratory analysis, lacking the ability for continuous monitoring and often fail to detect mold before it causes health or structural issues, as they rely on visual inspection and sample collection.

Innovation Solution

An integrated mold sensor system that includes a housing with a chamber and a substrate treated to promote mold growth, equipped with a sensing device to measure pH changes, using optical or electrical sensors to detect mold growth, and a controller to generate signals indicative of mold presence, allowing for continuous monitoring and real-time alerts.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If visual inspection and sample collection methods are used, then mold detection can be performed, but the process is labor-intensive and expensive requiring laboratory analysis

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of mold detectionVSAvoidcomplexity of detection process

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual visual inspection and physical sample collection with an automated optical sensing system that uses cameras and image processing algorithms to detect mold automatically, eliminating the need for laboratory analysis and reducing human labor

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates digital copies (images) of the surface being inspected, allowing mold detection to be performed on these digital representations rather than requiring physical sample collection and laboratory analysis, thereby simplifying the detection process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Reliability

If sample collection and laboratory analysis are used, then mold can be detected, but continuous monitoring is not possible and results take time to receive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of mold detectionVSAvoidtime delay in detection results

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements continuous monitoring by having the camera system continuously capture images and the processing system continuously analyze them for mold presence, eliminating the discrete sampling intervals inherent in traditional methods and enabling real-time detection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary processing of images and preliminary detection of mold by analyzing image data as it is captured, providing early warning before mold reaches critical levels that would require laboratory confirmation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Difficulty of detecting and measuring

If traditional detection methods are used, then mold can be identified, but mold cannot be detected before it causes health or structural issues

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedetectability of moldVSAvoidearly stage mold presence information

Core Design Contradiction:

Difficulty of detecting and measuringVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent detects mold by identifying color changes in captured images that indicate mold presence, allowing detection of mold at early stages when color differences are subtle, before mold becomes visibly apparent or causes damage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #32Color changes

Solution Approach 2:

By creating and analyzing digital copies of the surface, the system can detect subtle changes in color and texture that indicate early-stage mold presence, preserving information about mold that would be invisible to human observers

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

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

Enables efficient, cost-effective, and continuous detection of mold growth, reducing the risk of health and structural issues by providing real-time alerts and eliminating the need for laboratory analysis, while identifying the presence and types of mold through pH measurement and substrate analysis.

Implementation Method 1

The substrate may be treated with a pH indicator that changes color as the pH value of the substrate changes due to mold growth. The property may be a color of the substrate and the sensing device may be a camera configured to generate color images of the substrate

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectpH indicator color change: Photochromism

Implementation Method 2

The property may be an impedance of the substrate and the sensing device may include a plurality of electrodes attached to the substrate, and the controller may be further programmed to generate the estimated pH value of the substrate based on the impedance between pairs of electrodes

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrical impedance measurement: Electrical Resistance

Implementation Method 3

The controller may be further programmed to supply the current to maintain a pH value at a predetermined pH level

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrochemical pH control: Electrolysis

Data Source

PatentUS11567012B2Mold detecting device using sensor to measure pH of a surface

Publication Date: 2023.01.31 ROBERT BOSCH GMBH

AI summary

A mold sensor is configured with an enclosed chamber in which a nutrient-treated substrate is positioned. The mold sensor includes a sensing system that is configured to measure a property of the substrate that corresponds to a pH value of the substrate. A controller operates the sensing system and is programmed to detect a presence of mold growing in the chamber by estimating the pH value from the measured property.