Wireless Skin Imaging With Multispectral Light and Oxygenation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for capturing images of chronic wounds in telemedicine settings suffer from poor image quality due to inconsistent lighting, low color rendering index, and lack of polarization, while devices for measuring transcutaneous oxygen pressure are expensive and time-consuming, limiting their clinical application.
Innovation Solution
A portable device with LEDs for illuminating the skin surface, a distance sensor for focal positioning, and a processing unit for real-time oxygenation level calculation, enabling high-quality morphological and functional imaging with simultaneous measurement of transcutaneous oxygen pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If general public devices (mobile phones, digital cameras) are used for capturing skin images, then the device cost is low and accessibility is high, but image quality deteriorates due to inconsistent lighting, low color rendering index, and insufficient lighting control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple light sources with different color temperatures (warm white LED at 3000K, cool white LED at 6504K, and red LED at 630nm) into a single integrated lighting system. This merging of different light sources allows the device to provide consistent, controlled illumination with high color rendering index, resolving the image quality issue while maintaining device accessibility
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic control of illumination parameters including color temperature adjustment (switching between 3000K and 6504K), intensity control, and wavelength selection (adding 630nm red light). These parameter changes enable optimized imaging conditions for different clinical scenarios, significantly improving image quality over uncontrolled ambient lighting
2Device complexity
If surrounding ambient lighting is used for image capture, then the device complexity is low, but image quality deteriorates due to non-constant correlated color temperature and intensity variations
Solution Approach 1:
The device includes an integrated power supply unit that provides self-contained power to all light sources (warm white LED, cool white LED, red LED). This self-service lighting system eliminates dependence on variable ambient lighting conditions, ensuring consistent correlated color temperature and intensity without adding external power requirements or increasing overall device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary positioning of multiple light sources around the optical axis before image capture, with each light source pre-configured at specific angles and distances. This preliminary arrangement ensures uniform illumination distribution and consistent lighting conditions are established before the imaging process begins, preventing lighting variations during capture
3Illumination intensity
If flash is used to improve lighting intensity, then the brightness is increased, but color rendering index deteriorates and image quality worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the lighting function into multiple independent light sources with distinct spectral characteristics: warm white LED (3000K), cool white LED (6504K), and red LED (630nm). Each light source can be independently controlled and activated based on imaging requirements. This segmentation allows selection of appropriate wavelengths for different imaging needs, providing adequate brightness while maintaining accurate color rendering, unlike single-flash solutions
4Measurement precision
If transcutaneous oxygen pressure measurement devices are used, then functional information is obtained, but the device cost increases significantly and measurement time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a multi-functional device that combines high-quality morphological imaging with functional oxygenation assessment using a single integrated system. The same LED light sources (particularly the red LED at 630nm) serve dual purposes: providing illumination for visual imaging and enabling oxygen saturation measurement through spectroscopic analysis. This universality allows simultaneous acquisition of both structural and functional information without requiring separate expensive devices or extending measurement time
Solution Approach 2:
The device merges morphological imaging and functional oxygenation measurement into a single integrated system. The image acquisition camera captures both visual information and spectroscopic data from the same light-skin interaction event. By combining these functions in one device with shared components (light sources, detector), the patent achieves cost reduction and time savings while maintaining measurement precision
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 device provides clear, high-resolution images with accurate skin oxygenation levels, suitable for telemedicine and clinical use, overcoming the limitations of existing technologies in cost, mobility, and image quality.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of light-emitting diodes or LEDs for illuminating a common area of the skin surface, the light-emitting diodes comprising white and colored light-emitting diodes
Implementation Method 2
an image acquisition camera
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~6
Figure 7~10
AI summary
A handheld device for acquiring images (1) of a skin surface, comprising a camera (5) for acquiring images, a memory medium for storing the images acquired by the camera, a plurality of light-emitting diodes (7, 11) to light up a common area of the skin surface in a time-multiplexed manner, with an optimised consistency. These electroluminescent diodes comprise white electroluminescent diodes intended to acquire real colour images with a high colour rendering index and colour electroluminescent diodes intended to produce images giving information on the level of skin oxygenation, the 2 types of images being displayed simultaneously on the screen. The apparatus also comprises a distance sensor to measure the distance between the camera and the skin surface.