Other

Neptec Optical Solutions, Inc.

Optical Oncology, Inc.

Ricardo J Claps

Bradley A Smith

A time-resolved spectroscopy system employing a time-division multiplexing optical device with no dispersive optical elements to perform lifetime and concentration measurements in multi-species samples, is disclosed. Some examples include fluorescence and cavity ring-down spectroscopy. The system is unique in its compactness and simplicity of operation. In one embodiment, the system makes use of only one photo-detector and an efficient linear regression algorithm. The system offers a measurement time for multiple species measurements of less than 1 s. The system can also be used to perform fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and fluorescence cross-correlation spectroscopy. Four methods to de-convolve a multi-component, exponentially decaying optical signal such as obtained with the system disclosed here, are presented. These methods may be applied to the measurement of fluorescence decay lifetimes and cavity ring-down times, the latter used extensively for the measurement of gas and trace-gas concentrations in complex mixtures, via absorption spectroscopy.

Time-resolved spectroscopy system and methods for multiple-species analysis in fluorescence and cavity-ringdown applications

A method for recognizing figures in an image frame provided by an optical device is disclosed. The method includes selecting a set of calibration images having characteristic figures; selecting a number of horizontal and vertical channels for dividing the image, obtaining a digital signature for the image corresponding to each channel to create a calibration image matrix, obtaining a first set of characteristics and a second set of characteristics from said calibration image matrix and selecting two coordinates from at least one component in each of said first and second sets of characteristics from said calibration image matrix; forming a pattern vector from said selected coordinates from at least one component in each of said first and second sets of characteristics from said calibration image matrix, forming a calibration pattern matrix using pattern vectors from a plurality of said calibration images, forming a sample pattern vector from said selected coordinates from at least one component in each of said first and second sets of characteristics from a sample image, obtaining a two-dimensional projection of the vector resulting from transforming a sample pattern vector by the calibration pattern matrix, and determining whether the sample figure corresponds to a calibration pattern by the location in a two-dimensional plot of said projection. A method for recognizing tissue conditions in a sample tissue image frame provided by an optical device using the pattern recognition as described above is also provided.

Discrete principal component analysis (DPCA) for pattern recognition and diagnostics of tissue pathologies such as cancer

A new architecture for implementing a time-resolved Raman spectrometer is 2-3 orders of magnitude faster than current systems. In one embodiment, the invention employs a rotating optical switch to time multiplex an input signal through multiple band-pass filters and into a single optical detector which is electrically activated only when the filtered input light pulse is about to impact it. Time-multiplexing the input signal through multiple optical filters and time-sequencing the optical detector enables the device to detect and analyze 2-3 orders of magnitude faster than current designs. In one embodiment, the system may be employed for the diagnostics of a pathological condition of skin tissue in patients, such as malignant melanoma or other types of skin cancers and abnormal conditions.

High-speed, rugged, time-resolved, Raman spectrometer for sensing multiple components of a sample and for diagnostics of pathological skin conditions such as cancer

An optical system employs filtered broad band light for determining the specific components in a material sample. The system forms an r by n matrix C representing r principal components of the measurement to be analyzed at n different frequencies. Each sample contains a known quantity of the different materials in the sample being analyzed where r represents the number of different analytes or components in the sample. The system measures m different samples at n different frequencies, said m samples containing unknown quantities of the material, where 'm' is a selected integer representing the number of samples. Using the measured results from the m samples the system forms an n by m matrix P, where P=C&#xb7;R, and where R is an m by r matrix representing r unknown values of the r principal components which are being measured in the m material samples. The system then solves the equation P=C&#xb7;R for R by inverting C in the equation=() This gives the value of each of the r principal components in the sample.

Discrete principal component analysis (DPCA)

A time-resolved, fluorescence spectrometer makes use of a RadiaLight&#xae; optical switch and no dispersive optical elements (DOE) like gratings. The structure is unique in its compactness and simplicity of operation. In one embodiment, the spectrometer makes use of only one photo-detector and an efficient linear regression algorithm. The structure offers a time resolution, for multiple species measurements, of less than 1 s. The structure can also be used to perform fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and fluorescence cross-correlation spectroscopy.

Time-resolved fluorescence spectrometer for multiple-species analysis

A new architecture for implementing a time-resolved Raman spectrometer is 2-3 orders of magnitude faster than current systems. The system additionally is compact, environmentally rugged, low cost and can detect multiple components of a sample simultaneously. In one embodiment, the invention employs a rotating optical switch to time multiplex an input signal through multiple bandpass filters and into a single optical detector which is electrically activated only when the filtered input light pulse is about to impact it. The combination of time-multiplexing the input signal through multiple optical filters and time-sequencing the optical detector enables the device to detect and analyze 2-3 orders of magnitude faster than current designs, processing spectra within milliseconds instead of seconds. The system can process multiple material samples (25+) simultaneously, instead of sequentially, and its mechanical ruggedness and simplicity enables using the system in harsh physical environments when traditional spectrometers can not be used reliably.

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Clovis, CA, United States of America

Ricardo J Claps