Noninvasive Skin Component Measurement via Stratum Corneum Modulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Non-invasive component measurement devices face challenges in achieving accurate measurements due to the absence of interstitial fluid in the stratum corneum, a layer of dead cells on the skin's surface, which can vary in thickness across different body parts, leading to potential measurements based on incorrect information.
Innovation Solution
A component measurement device that includes an optical medium, an excitation light source, a probe light source, and an intensity modulation unit, which acquires stratum corneum information to modulate the excitation light and measure the component based on the difference between probe light emitted in two states, allowing for accurate measurement of components like blood glucose levels by efficiently penetrating through the skin layers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If non-invasive measurement is performed on the skin surface, then patient comfort is improved (no pain), but measurement accuracy deteriorates because interstitial fluid is not present in the stratum corneum
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary acquisition of stratum corneum thickness information before the actual component measurement. This preliminary action allows the measurement process to be adjusted based on the specific skin conditions, ensuring that the measurement targets the correct depth where interstitial fluid is present despite the non-invasive approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the measurement process based on acquired stratum corneum information. By making the measurement system adaptive to individual skin characteristics, it maintains measurement accuracy while preserving the comfort benefits of non-invasive measurement.
2Device complexity
If measurement is performed without considering stratum corneum thickness, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement accuracy deteriorates due to variable stratum corneum thickness across different body parts
Solution Approach 1:
The system acquires stratum corneum thickness information as a preliminary step before performing the actual component measurement. This preliminary measurement of skin characteristics allows subsequent adjustment of the measurement parameters to compensate for varying stratum corneum thickness, maintaining accuracy without requiring complex adaptive hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the acquired stratum corneum information as feedback to adjust the measurement process. This feedback mechanism allows the system to compensate for individual variations in skin structure, achieving accurate measurements across different body parts while keeping the device design relatively simple.
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 enhances the accuracy of non-invasive component measurements by ensuring the device measures components in layers deeper than the stratum corneum, reducing the risk of incorrect readings and improving overall measurement precision.
Implementation Method 1
an excitation light source to emit excitation light onto the optical medium portion
Implementation Method 2
a probe light source to emit probe light onto the optical medium portion; a measurement unit to measure the given component based on a difference between the probe light emitted from the optical medium portion
Data Source
AI summary
A component measurement device for measuring a given component contained in a sample. The component measurement device includes an excitation light source to emit excitation light onto the optical medium portion, a probe light source to emit probe light onto the optical medium portion, an intensity modulation unit to perform intensity modulation on the excitation light emitted by the excitation light source based on stratum corneum information about stratum corneum of the sample to generate intensity-modulated excitation light and emit the generated intensity-modulated excitation light onto the optical medium portion, and a measurement unit to measure the given component based on a difference between the probe light emitted from the optical medium portion in a first state where the excitation light is emitted and the probe light emitted from the optical medium portion in a second state where the intensity-modulated excitation light is emitted.