Tube Tray Vision System for Automated IVD Characterization
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Solution Overview
Problem
In in vitro diagnostics (IVD) labs, existing technologies lack the ability to efficiently characterize tube trays and their contents without manual handling or expensive equipment, leading to inefficient processing and increased maintenance costs.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising cameras, encoders, and processors that capture and analyze images of tube trays to determine characteristics such as tube height, diameter, cap presence, barcode information, and tray orientation, allowing for efficient processing and reduced setup and maintenance costs without physical interaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual handling and barcode reading are used to characterize tubes, then tube identification can be achieved, but processing time increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical handling and barcode reading with an automated optical imaging system. Cameras capture images of tubes in trays, and image processing algorithms automatically extract characteristics such as tube position, orientation, and barcode information, eliminating the need for manual intervention and significantly increasing processing throughput while maintaining accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates optical copies (images) of the tubes and their barcodes rather than requiring direct physical contact. By capturing visual information through cameras and processing these digital representations, the system can characterize multiple tubes simultaneously without handling them, thus improving both speed and accuracy
2Measurement precision
If expensive equipment is used for tube characterization, then measurement precision improves, but device complexity and maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a multi-functional optical imaging system that can characterize various tube types and configurations using the same hardware platform. The cameras and image processing algorithms can detect different tube orientations, barcode formats, and tray arrangements, providing versatile tube characterization capabilities without requiring specialized expensive equipment for each specific measurement task
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses standard, relatively inexpensive cameras and image processing software rather than expensive specialized measurement equipment. By leveraging off-the-shelf imaging technology and computational algorithms, the patent achieves accurate tube characterization at lower cost and with reduced maintenance requirements compared to specialized analytical instruments
3Loss of information
If tubes are handled physically to determine characteristics, then tube identification is possible, but manual labor increases and operation complexity rises
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables tubes to be characterized passively through optical imaging without requiring active manual handling. The tubes simply need to be positioned in trays, and the image processing system automatically extracts all necessary information including position, orientation, and barcode data, allowing the tubes to 'present' their characteristics to the system without human intervention
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs tube characterization in advance while tubes are stationary in trays, before any physical handling or processing occurs. By capturing images and extracting information preliminarily, the system eliminates the need for subsequent manual handling steps, simplifying the overall operation workflow and reducing labor requirements
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 efficient and streamlined processing of tube trays by providing accurate characterization of tube contents and tray conditions, reducing manual handling and maintenance costs through automated image analysis.
Implementation Method 1
an image capture system, comprised of at least one camera, is configured to capture images of the tube tray positioned in the drawer
Data Source
AI summary
Images of a tube tray, which fits within a drawer and holds tubes in slots arranged in rows and columns, are captured to determine characteristics related to the tube tray. By analyzing the images, features of the tubes are determined, providing valuable information in an IVD environment in which a sample handler is processing the tubes. Each row of the tube tray is encoded to allow for detection of a new row moving into focus of cameras. The cameras capture an image of the tube tray, and the image is stored in a memory buffer. When the next row moves into focus, a subsequent image is taken and stored. The result is a series of images providing multi-perspective views of the rows of the tube tray. The images are analyzed to determine characteristics of the tubes, which are utilized by the sample handler in processing the tubes.