University Court of the University of St. Andrews

Robert J H Hammond

Stephen H Gillespie

Mario E Giardini

An apparatus for analysing a liquid sample comprising particles, comprises: a first chamber () and a second chamber (), and an optical path between the first chamber () and the second chamber (), wherein: the first chamber () is a sample chamber comprising: a sample space for receiving the sample; a light input () for input of light into the first chamber () for interaction with the sample; and an exit aperture () arranged for scattered and/or reflected light to pass from the first chamber via the optical path to the second chamber (); the second chamber () is a detection chamber comprising: an input aperture () for receiving light from the optical path; and a detector () for detecting, or a detector aperture for receiving, light to be detected; wherein the first chamber () and the second chamber () provide at least one light integrating volume, and wherein the first chamber () is configured such that in operation the liquid sample is present in the first chamber () and isolated from the second chamber ().

Apparatus for analysing a liquid sample comprising particles

An apparatus () comprises a first detection chamber () for receiving microorganisms and configured to allow detection of the microorganisms via detection of scattered light from the first detection chamber (); a medium () configured to permit passage of microorganisms from a sample () through the medium () into the first detection chamber (); and at least one second detection chamber () configured to allow detection of the microorganisms via detection of scattered light from the at least one second detection chamber ().

Sample detection device

A system for measuring a liquid sample comprising biological material, the system comprising an integrating light collector for collecting light and for at least partially containing the sample; a light source for introducing light in the integrating light collector; a signal generator or modulator configured to cause a known modulation of the light output by the light source; a phase-sensitive detector for detecting scattered light in the integrating light collector; at least one of an exit port to allow un-scattered light to exit the integrating light collector, a beam dump, or a baffle arranged to absorb unscattered light; and a processor configured to analyse the detected modulated light to determine changes in the detected modulated light as a function of time thereby to determine at least one of: drug susceptibility of the biological material; a change in a number of cells in the sample; a change in cell state; a change in the biological material.

Scattered light integrating collector

A system for measuring a sample comprising: an integrating sphere light collector () for collecting light and containing the sample; a light source () for introducing light in the integrating sphere light collector (), wherein the light source () is operable to output light with a known modulation, preferably by using a signal generator (); a detector () for detecting scattered light in the integrating sphere light collector () and generating a signal indicative of the scattered light, and a lock-in amplifier () operable use the known light modulation and the signal generated by the detector () to provide an output for analysis.

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Fife, United Kingdom

Robert J H Hammond