Multi-chamber plate imaging using contour line matching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for reading out multi-chamber plates, commonly used in in-vitro diagnostics, are complex and unsuitable for accurately analyzing bent and warped plates, often requiring fiducials and autofocus techniques, which can lead to errors in counting micro or nano wells due to partial imaging and limited field of view.
Innovation Solution
A method involving displacement and orientation adjustment of the imaging device relative to the multi-chamber plate along an axis to capture partial images, using contour lines to form a composite image without fiducials or autofocus, allowing precise alignment and counting of wells without fiducials or autofocus techniques.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional autofocus mechanisms and fiducials are used to read multi-chamber plates, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes fiducials (reference markers) from the multi-chamber plate system. Instead of using external reference points for alignment, the system directly images the chambers themselves and uses their geometric arrangement to determine positions and perform stitching, thereby eliminating the complexity of fiducial-based alignment mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-chamber plate system uses its own chamber structures to provide alignment information. The chambers serve dual purposes: as sample containers and as reference features for image stitching and positioning, eliminating the need for separate fiducial markers and simplifying the overall system
2Measurement precision
If autofocus techniques are used to capture images of multi-chamber plates, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time increases due to multiple captures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent accepts that not all chambers will be perfectly in focus simultaneously due to plate warping, but this is sufficient for the application. The system captures a single image and uses the clearly focused chambers to determine positions and perform stitching, rather than attempting to achieve perfect focus across the entire plate through multiple captures and stacking
3Device complexity
If a limited field of view is used to image multi-chamber plates, then device complexity is reduced, but loss of information increases due to inability to count all wells
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the imaging task into multiple overlapping fields of view. The imaging system captures several partial images of different regions of the multi-chamber plate, then computationally stitches these segments together to create a complete map of all chambers, enabling accurate counting and analysis of the entire plate
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses software-based image stitching algorithms as an intermediary process to combine multiple partial images into a complete composite image. This computational mediator allows the system to overcome the limited field of view of simple imaging devices while maintaining accurate chamber positioning and counting
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for analyzing a multi-chamber plate (110) is disclosed. The method comprises the following steps: - displacing (110) at least one imaging device (114) and the multi-chamber plate (110) relative to each other along at least one axis; - imaging (130) at least one first partial image of at least one first partial region (132) of the multi-chamber plate (110) and at least one second partial image of at least one second partial region (134) of the multi-chamber plate (110), wherein the first partial region (132) and the second partial region (134) are one or both of adjacent or overlapping partial regions of the multi-chamber plate (110); - adjusting (138) an orientation of one or both of the multi-chamber plate (110) or the imaging device (114) such that at least one contour line (138) is observable in both the first partial region (132) and the second partial region (134); - forming (140) at least one composite image from the first partial image and the second partial image by matching the first partial image and second partial image by using the contour line (138).