Ophthalmic Implant Force Sensor Using Interference Dye
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for monitoring forces acting on ophthalmic implants during implantation face challenges in miniaturization, biocompatibility, signal evaluation, and handling, particularly due to the need for mechanical or electronic sensors with associated power supply lines.
Innovation Solution
An ophthalmological implant with a force sensor partially or completely formed from interference dyes that change color in response to forces, allowing for non-contact, optical detection of forces without the need for electrical or mechanical connections, using structural colors based on diffraction principles rather than absorption or fluorescence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If mechanical or electronic sensors are used to monitor forces on the implant, then force monitoring capability is achieved, but device complexity and need for power supply lines increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical or electronic force sensors with an optical sensing system using interference dyes. The interference dye changes its optical properties (color impression) in response to mechanical stress, allowing force monitoring through optical detection rather than mechanical or electronic means. This eliminates the need for complex electronic components and power supply lines while maintaining force monitoring capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes color changes of interference dyes as a direct indicator of force application. When force is applied to the implant, the interference dye undergoes structural changes that alter its color impression, providing a visual and detectable signal of the magnitude and direction of applied forces without requiring additional sensing hardware.
2Measurement precision
If amorphous carbon layers are used as strain sensors, then force detection is possible, but biocompatibility and signal evaluation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs interference dyes that can be integrated into the implant structure, combining the sensing function with biocompatible materials. The interference dye system provides force detection capability while maintaining biocompatibility, avoiding the harmful effects associated with amorphous carbon layers and complex electronic signal evaluation systems.
3Ease of manufacture
If fluorescent dyes are used for force sensing, then color change detection is achieved, but photostability decreases due to chemical degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs interference dyes that produce structural colors through physical interference effects rather than chemical fluorescence. This physical mechanism is inherently more photostable than chemical fluorescence, as it does not involve electronic transitions that lead to chemical degradation. The interference dye maintains its color-changing capability over extended periods under illumination.
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 precise and reliable monitoring of forces acting on the implant, preventing tissue or implant damage, with adaptable wavelength ranges and high photostability, facilitating easier integration and biocompatibility, and eliminating the need for complex equipment or power supply lines.
Implementation Method 1
The physical principle behind structural colors is therefore not absorption, but diffraction. This phenomenon occurs when light or electromagnetic radiation interacts with periodic structural elements of the interference dye
Implementation Method 2
The specific wavelength(s) that satisfy this distance condition(s) are scattered by the periodic structural elements, causing the waves to interfere constructively and/or destructively
Implementation Method 3
The condition of constructive interference depends on the distance between the structural elements (d), the wavelength of the incident light (λ), and the angle of incidence (θ), for which the constructive interference is strongest. This relationship can be described with the formula nλ = 2d sin θ (Bragg diffraction)
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an ophthalmic implant (10) comprising a base body (12) and a force sensor (18). The force sensor (18) consists at least partially of at least one interference dye (20), which changes its color appearance depending on a force acting on at least one region of the base body (12). The invention further relates to a device for determining a force acting on at least one region of a base body (12) of such an ophthalmic implant (10).