SKIN TEST IMAGE ANALYSIS APPARATUSES AND METHODS THEREOF

• US 20120253224A1
• Filed: 10/13/2011
• Published: 10/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sensivida Medical Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sensivida Medical Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Mir, Jose, Spoonhower, John, Agostinelli, John A., Squilla, John
• Granted Patent: US 10,244,981 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/556
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0053 by applying pressure, e.g. compression, indentation, palpation, grasping, gauging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0077 Devices for viewing the surface of the body, e.g. camera, magnifying lens
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/441 Skin evaluation, e.g. for skin disorder diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/442 Evaluating skin mechanical properties, e.g. elasticity, hardness, texture, wrinkle assessment

Abstract

An apparatus and method for making an apparatus for skin testing includes a housing with an opening which defines a field of view of a skin testing region, an image sensing apparatus, an illumination apparatus, a binding apparatus, and an image processing controller. The image sensing apparatus is positioned with respect to the housing to capture images in the field of view provided by the opening. The illumination apparatus is positioned within the housing to direct light towards a portion of the field of view provided by the opening. The binding apparatus detachably secures the housing over the skin testing region and maintains a fixed distance between the image sensing apparatus and the skin testing region. The controller is configured to analyze test samples sites in each of the captured images from the image sensing apparatus and provide a skin test result for each of the test sample sites.

Claims

1. An apparatus for skin testing comprising:

a housing with an opening which defines a field of view of a skin testing region;

an image sensing apparatus positioned with respect to the housing to capture one or more images in the field of view provided by the opening in the housing;

an illumination apparatus positioned with respect to the housing to direct light towards at least a portion of the field of view provided by the opening in the housing;

a binding apparatus that detachably secures the housing with the opening over the skin testing region and maintains a substantially fixed optical distance between the image sensing apparatus and the skin testing region; and

an image processing controller configured to analyze two or more test samples sites which are spaced fifteen mm or less apart in the field of view in each of the one or more captured images from the image sensing apparatus and provide a skin test result for each of the two or more test sample sites.

2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the opening in the housing has an opening which is 600 mm² or less.

3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the housing further comprising a passage having a shape configured to detachably mate with an outer shape of a test cartridge and of the image sensing apparatus.

4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further comprising at least one actuator apparatus configured in the housing to detachable receive and manage actuation of a test cartridge within the opening of the housing.

5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein the actuator apparatus further comprises:

a plunger engagable to move the test cartridge towards the skin testing region;

a stop positioned in the house to limit the movement of the test cartridge towards the skin testing region; and

a biasing device which biases the plunger away from the skin testing region

6. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the housing further comprises a skin attachment fixture with an array of apertures which is detachable positioned across the opening in the housing.

7. The apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein the array of apertures of the skin attachment fixture has an irregular pattern.

8. The apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein the skin attachment fixture further comprises one or more fiducials.

9. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the image sensing apparatus comprises one of a CCD image sensor and a CMOS image sensor.

10. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the image processing controller is configured to analyze the two or more test samples sites which are spaced ten mm or less apart in the field of view in each of the one or more captured images.

11. The apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein the image processing controller is configured to analyze the two or more test samples sites which are spaced five mm or less apart in the field of view in each of the one or more captured images.

12. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the illumination apparatus further comprises a first light source positioned to direct light toward the opening at an oblique angle from normal.

13. The apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein the illumination apparatus further comprises a second light source positioned to direct light toward the opening at substantially centered about normal.

14. The apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein the illumination apparatus further comprises a third light source positioned to direct light toward the opening at an oblique angle from normal and offset from the first light source.

15. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the illumination apparatus is configured to provide substantially collimated light.

16. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the binding apparatus further comprises one or more straps that detachably secure the housing with the opening over the skin testing region.

17. The apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein the binding apparatus further comprises a band that detachably secure the housing with the opening over the skin testing region and maintains the substantially fixed optical distance between the image sensing apparatus and the skin testing region.

18. The apparatus as set forth in claim 17 wherein the binding apparatus further comprises an attachment support structure coupled to the housing and having an engagement surface with a shape configured to substantially mate with the skin testing region.

19. A method for making an apparatus for skin testing, the method comprising:

providing a housing with an opening which defines a field of view of a skin testing region;

positioning an image sensing apparatus with respect to the housing to capture one or more images in the field of view provided by the opening in the housing;

positioning an illumination apparatus with respect to the housing to direct light towards at least a portion of the field of view provided by the opening in the housing;

providing a binding apparatus that detachably secures the housing with the opening over the skin testing region and maintains a substantially fixed optical distance between the image sensing apparatus and the skin testing region; and

providing an image processing controller configured to analyze two or more test samples sites which are spaced fifteen mm or less apart in the field of view in each of the one or more captured images from the image sensing apparatus and provide a skin test result for each of the two or more test sample sites.

20. The method as set forth in claim 19 wherein the providing the housing further comprises providing the housing with the opening which is 600 mm² or less.

21. The method as set forth in claim 19 wherein the providing the housing further comprises providing a passage having a shape configured to detachably mate with an outer shape of a test cartridge and of the image sensing apparatus.

22. The method as set forth in claim 19 further comprising providing at least one actuator apparatus configured in the housing to detachable receive and manage actuation of a test cartridge within the opening of the housing.

23. The method as set forth in claim 22 wherein the providing the actuator apparatus further comprises:

providing a plunger engagable to move the test cartridge towards the skin testing region;

positioning a stop in the housing to limit the movement of the test cartridge towards the skin testing region; and

providing a biasing device which biases the plunger away from the skin testing region

24. The method as set forth in claim 19 wherein the providing the housing further comprises providing a skin attachment fixture with an array of apertures which is detachable positioned across the opening in the housing.

25. The method as set forth in claim 24 wherein the providing the skin attachment fixture further comprises providing the skin attachment fixture with the array of apertures which have an irregular pattern.

26. The method as set forth in claim 24 wherein the providing the skin attachment fixture further comprises providing the skin attachment fixture with one or more fiducials.

27. The method as set forth in claim 19 wherein the positioning an image sensing apparatus further comprises providing the image sensing apparatus comprising one of a CCD image sensor and a CMOS image sensor.

28. The method as set forth in claim 19 wherein the providing the image processing controller further comprises providing the image processing controller configured to analyze the two or more test samples sites which are spaced ten mm or less apart in the field of view in each of the one or more captured images.

29. The method as set forth in claim 28 wherein the providing the image processing controller further comprises providing the image processing controller configured to analyze the two or more test samples sites which are spaced five mm or less apart in the field of view in each of the one or more captured images.

30. The method as set forth in claim 19 wherein the positioning the illumination apparatus further comprises positioning a first light source to direct light toward the opening at an oblique angle from normal.

31. The method as set forth in claim 30 wherein the positioning the illumination apparatus further comprises positioning a second light source to direct light toward the opening at substantially centered about normal.

32. The method as set forth in claim 31 wherein the positioning the illumination apparatus further comprises positioning a third light source to direct light toward the opening at an oblique angle from normal and offset from the first light source.

33. The method as set forth in claim 19 wherein the positioning the illumination apparatus further comprises providing an illumination apparatus configured to provide substantially collimated light.

34. The method as set forth in claim 19 wherein the providing the binding apparatus further comprises providing one or more straps that detachably secure the housing with the opening over the skin testing region.

35. The method as set forth in claim 34 wherein the providing binding apparatus further comprises providing a band that detachably secure the housing with the opening over the skin testing region and maintains the substantially fixed optical distance between the image sensing apparatus and the skin testing region.

36. The method as set forth in claim 35 wherein the providing the binding apparatus further comprises providing an attachment support structure coupled to the housing and having an engagement surface with a shape configured to substantially mate with the skin testing region.