Self-Calibrating Fiber Optic Probe for Real-Time Spectroscopy
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current optical spectroscopy techniques, particularly diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), face challenges in real-time calibration due to lamp intensity fluctuations and fiber bending losses, leading to significant errors in extracting optical properties from tissue samples, and require lengthy warm-up times and separate calibration procedures, which are not suitable for clinical settings.
Innovation Solution
A self-calibrating fiber optic probe with a built-in calibration channel that generates calibration light simultaneously with illumination light, allowing for real-time correction of spectral data and accounting for fiber bending effects, eliminating the need for separate calibration procedures and reducing delays.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional separate calibration procedures are used to correct lamp intensity fluctuations and fiber bending losses, then measurement accuracy is improved, but measurement time and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the calibration function and sensing function into a single integrated fiber optic probe. The calibration fiber and sensing fibers are merged into one probe assembly, allowing calibration and measurement to be performed simultaneously without requiring separate calibration procedures or multiple devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The calibration channel operates continuously alongside the sensing channel, providing real-time calibration data that accounts for lamp intensity fluctuations and fiber bending effects during the entire measurement process, rather than requiring periodic separate calibration interruptions.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a 30-minute warm-up period is used to stabilize lamp intensity, then light intensity stability is improved, but clinical productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The calibration fiber is pre-configured within the probe assembly with known optical properties, so that calibration data can be obtained immediately upon probe insertion without requiring a warm-up period for lamp stabilization or separate calibration procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-calibration using the integrated calibration fiber, automatically compensating for lamp intensity variations and fiber bending effects without requiring external calibration equipment or operator intervention for calibration procedures.
3Measurement precision
If separate calibration procedures using power meters and reflectance standards are performed, then calibration accuracy is improved, but device complexity and operational difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The fiber optic probe performs self-calibration using its own integrated calibration fiber, eliminating the need for external calibration equipment such as power meters and reflectance standards. The system automatically compensates for system variations using the calibration data from the integrated fiber.
Solution Approach 2:
The single fiber optic probe assembly serves multiple functions: it contains both sensing fibers for measurement and a calibration fiber for calibration, making the device self-sufficient and eliminating the need for separate calibration equipment or procedures.
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 fast, robust, and systematic real-time calibration of optical spectroscopy, reducing errors caused by lamp intensity fluctuations and fiber bending, and eliminating the need for lengthy warm-up times and separate calibration procedures, making it suitable for clinical applications.
Implementation Method 1
a fiber optic probe with self-calibration capability configured for performing diffuse reflectance spectroscopy
Implementation Method 2
The probe includes a built-in calibration channel that can be used to record the light source spectrum and instrument-fiber responses contemporaneously with tissue spectra measurements
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for performing optical spectroscopy using a self-calibrating fiber optic probe are disclosed. One self-calibrating fiber optic probe includes a sensing channel for transmitting illumination light to a specimen and for collecting spectral data of the specimen. The spectral data includes the illumination light diffusely reflected from the specimen at one or more wavelengths. The self-calibrating fiber optic probe may also include a calibration channel for transmitting calibration light. The calibration light and the illumination light are generated simultaneously from a common light source. The calibration channel collects calibration spectral data associated with the calibration light contemporaneously with the collection of the spectral data of the specimen.