Sampling Device Segmentation for Analyte Enrichment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for determining analyte concentration in living entities, such as humans, face challenges including sensor calibration difficulties due to external interference, sample handling issues that can alter medium characteristics, and the risk of clogging and air bubble formation in microdialysis probes, leading to inaccurate readings and patient stress.
Innovation Solution
A sampling device with an analyte receiving chamber surrounded by a separating medium, allowing analytes to pass through from a sample chamber into the receiving chamber, reducing mechanical interference and minimizing the risk of clogging, while enabling efficient analyte enrichment and prolonged sampling without replacing sampling accesses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a sensor is arranged directly in the main body of the medium (e.g., blood stream), then continuous and accurate analyte determination is achieved, but calibration becomes difficult due to external interference and risk of incursion into the patient
Solution Approach 1:
The sampling device is divided into separate functional chambers: a sample chamber for receiving medium samples and an analyte receiving chamber for analyte accumulation. This segmentation allows the sensor to be positioned in the analyte receiving chamber away from direct patient contact while maintaining measurement accuracy through the separating medium barrier.
Solution Approach 2:
A separating medium is introduced as an intermediary barrier between the sample chamber and the analyte receiving chamber. This separating medium allows analyte diffusion while preventing direct contact between the sensor and the patient's main body medium, thereby simplifying calibration by blocking external interference.
2Productivity
If a sample is taken from the main body of the medium continuously, then analyte determination can be performed, but the medium characteristics may be altered and the patient may be subjected to repeated sampling stress
Solution Approach 1:
The separating medium acts as an intermediary that allows continuous analyte transfer from the sample chamber to the analyte receiving chamber without requiring continuous physical sampling from the patient. This maintains patient comfort while enabling continuous monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The device enables continuous analyte determination through the separating medium barrier without interrupting the patient's body. The analyte receives chamber continuously accumulates analyte from the sample chamber, allowing uninterrupted monitoring while minimizing patient stress.
3Measurement precision
If microdialysis probes are used for sampling, then analyte determination is possible, but clogging and air bubble formation occur leading to inaccurate readings
Solution Approach 1:
The sampling device separates the sampling function (sample chamber) from the analysis function (analyte receiving chamber with sensor). This segmentation eliminates the clogging issues associated with microdialysis probes by using a larger-scale design with a separating medium barrier that prevents medium stagnation and air bubble formation.
4Reliability
If sampling accesses are replaced frequently, then fresh sampling is achieved, but patient stress increases and sampling time is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The device allows prolonged operation with a single sampling access by using the separating medium to maintain fresh sampling conditions continuously. The analyte receiving chamber can be flushed with flushing medium to maintain sampling freshness without replacing the physical access, thereby reducing time loss.
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
The solution provides accurate, reliable, and prolonged sampling with reduced risk of clogging and air bubbles, allowing for frequent measurements with minimal patient stress and maintaining analyte concentration stability.
Implementation Method 1
a separating medium surrounding the internal cavity, to allow the analyte to pass through from the sample chamber into the analyte receiving chamber
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a sampling device, a sampling system and a method of sampling, and in particular a method of analysis, for application to a living entity.