Ombroscopy Inhibition Zone Detection Method
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for detecting inhibition zones in culture media are slow, unreliable, and sensitive to the type of culture medium and chemical agent used, making it difficult to determine the presence or absence of biological particles in a timely and repeatable manner.
Innovation Solution
A method involving ombroscopy to measure the inhibition zone by taking images of the culture medium, analyzing the intensity images to detect the presence or absence of the inhibition zone, and using processing steps like thresholding and histogram analysis to determine the minimum inhibition concentration, along with a detection device featuring a collimated light source and capture means for enhanced resolution and reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional imaging methods are used to detect inhibition zones, then the detection can be performed with simple equipment, but the response time is long (greater than eight hours) and the reliability is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical/optical imaging methods with ombroscopy, a technique that measures shadow patterns created by light passing through the culture medium. This substitution enables rapid detection of inhibition zones by analyzing refractive index variations, achieving reliable results in less than eight hours compared to traditional methods that require longer incubation and imaging periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention detects inhibition zones by measuring changes in refractive index parameters within the culture medium. By monitoring how light bends when passing through areas with different chemical concentrations, the system can identify inhibition zones early in the incubation process, significantly reducing the detection time while maintaining high reliability.
2Reliability
If traditional imaging methods are used, then the equipment is simple, but the detection is sensitive to variations in culture medium and chemical agent types
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional imaging approaches that directly visualize inhibition zones with ombroscopy, which measures refractive index variations. This substitution makes the detection method independent of cultural characteristics such as medium opacity or colony morphology, enabling consistent and repeatable results across different culture medium and chemical agent types.
Solution Approach 2:
By measuring refractive index changes rather than visual characteristics, the method transforms the detection parameter from appearance-based to physics-based measurement. This parameter change eliminates sensitivity to variations in culture medium composition and chemical agent types, achieving universal applicability and high repeatability.
3Measurement precision
If ombroscopy with collimated light source is used, then the measurement precision and reliability are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the detection system into three functional modules: a collimated light source module, a culture medium chamber, and a shadow pattern detection module. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while maintaining overall system simplicity, achieving high measurement precision without excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a collimated light beam as an intermediary between the culture medium and the detection system. This light intermediary transforms the invisible refractive index variations into measurable shadow patterns, enabling precise inhibition zone detection while keeping the device architecture relatively simple and elegant.
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 rapid, reliable, and repeatable detection of inhibition zones, providing a response time of less than eight hours and improved sensitivity and specificity, regardless of the culture medium or chemical agent used.
Implementation Method 1
a first phase of taking an image of the first inhibition zone by ombroscopy
Implementation Method 2
The light source is configured to produce collimated light rays toward a biological particle culture medium; a light focus configured to directly illuminate said culture medium; capture means configured to take a two-dimensional intensity image of said culture medium
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for detecting a presence or an absence of at least one first inhibition zone (Z) comprised in a culture of biological particles (1) in a culture medium (2) in the presence of a chemical agent (3). The detection method comprises a first step of seeding a culture medium (2) with the biological particles (1), a second step of the culture medium (2) receiving the chemical agent (3), a third step of incubating the culture medium, and a fourth step of measuring the first inhibition zone (Z) of the culture medium (2), which comprises a first phase of collecting an image of the first inhibition zone (Z) by the shadow method.