Methods and apparatus for quantifying dermal hydration

• US 6,600,946 B1
• Filed: 08/11/2000
• Issued: 07/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Rice, Robert R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lateef, Marvin M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lin, Jeoyuh
• Application Number:
  US09/637,961
• Time in Patent Office: 1,082 Days
• Field of Search: 600/340, 600/600, 600/318, 600/322, 600/323, 600/407, 600/473, 600/476, 600/304, 600/310, 600/306, 128/920, 128/923, 128/924, 128/848, 128/847
• US Class Current: 600/473
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0064 Body surface scanning
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/441 Skin evaluation, e.g. for skin disorder diagnosis

Abstract

Dermal hydration is determined in a target region of a human subject by determining a relationship between first and second measurements. The first measurement is a measurement of a first type of electromagnetic radiation that has been reflected from the target region, the second measurement is a measurement of a second type of electromagnetic radiation that has been reflected from the target region, and the second type of electromagnetic radiation is absorbed by liquid, namely water or perspiration, to a greater degree than the first type of electromagnetic radiation is absorbed by the liquid. The electromagnetic radiation that is reflected from the region and measured is initially transmitted to the region from a remote location, and the transmitted electromagnetic radiation is not visible to a naked human eye. An examination being carried out in accordance with the present invention can be carried out while the region is moving, by tracking the region. As a result, examinations carried out in accordance with the present invention can advantageously be relatively noninvasive, and the subject being examined need not even be aware of the examination.

Claims

1. A method for quantifying dermal hydration, the method comprising:

obtaining a first measurement of electromagnetic radiation that has been reflected from a region that is an exterior surface of skin and any liquid closely associated with the exterior surface of the skin;

obtaining a second measurement of electromagnetic radiation that has been reflected from the region; and

quantifying dermal hydration in the region by determining a relationship between the first and second measurements.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

the obtaining the first measurement comprises obtaining a measurement of a first type of electromagnetic radiation that has been reflected from the region; and

the obtaining the second measurement comprises obtaining a measurement of a second type of electromagnetic radiation that has been reflected from the region and that is absorbed by a liquid to a greater degree than the first type of electromagnetic radiation is absorbed by the liquid.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the obtaining the first measurement and the obtaining the second measurement are contemporaneous.

5. A method according to claim 3, wherein:

the obtaining the measurement of the first type of electromagnetic radiation comprises obtaining a measurement of electromagnetic radiation that is not detectable by a naked eye of a human; and

the obtaining the measurement of the second type of electromagnetic radiation comprises obtaining a measurement of electromagnetic radiation that is not detectable by a naked eye of a human.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the obtaining the measurement of the second type of electromagnetic radiation comprises obtaining a measurement of electromagnetic radiation with at least one wavelength selected from the range of approximately 1500-1600 nm.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the obtaining the measurement of the first type of electromagnetic radiation comprises obtaining a measurement of electromagnetic radiation with at least one wavelength selected from the range of approximately 1000-1100 nm.

8. A method according to claim 3, further comprising transmitting the first and second types of electromagnetic radiation so that the first and second types of electromagnetic radiation are incident upon and reflected by the region.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the transmitting the first and second types of electromagnetic radiation comprises transmitting electromagnetic radiation that is not detectable by a naked eye of a human.

2. A method for quantifying dermal hydration, the method comprising:

obtaining a first measurement of electromagnetic radiation that has been reflected from a region comprising skin and any liquid closely associated with the skin;

obtaining a second measurement of electromagnetic radiation that has been reflected from the region;

quantifying the amount of liquid in the region by determining a relationship between the first and second measurements; and

tracking the region as the region moves, wherein the first and second measurements are obtained while tracking the region.

10. A method for quantifying dermal hydration at an exterior surface of skin, the method comprising:

transmitting electromagnetic radiation so that the electromagnetic radiation is incident upon and reflected by the exterior surface of the skin and any liquid closely associated with the exterior surface of the skin, wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting a first type of electromagnetic radiation and transmitting a second type of electromagnetic radiation that is absorbed by liquid to a greater degree than the first type of electromagnetic radiation;

detecting the reflected electromagnetic radiation; and

quantifying dermal hydration, including taking into account the reflected electromagnetic radiation that has been detected.

12. A method according to claim 10, wherein:

the transmitting the first type of electromagnetic radiation comprises transmitting electromagnetic radiation that is not detectable by a naked eye of a human; and

the transmitting the second type of electromagnetic radiation comprises transmitting electromagnetic radiation that is not detectable by a naked eye of a human.

13. A method according to claim 10, wherein the transmitting the second type of electromagnetic radiation comprises transmitting electromagnetic radiation with at least one wavelength selected from the range of approximately 1500-1600 nm.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the transmitting the first type of electromagnetic radiation comprises transmitting electromagnetic radiation with at least one wavelength selected from the range of approximately 1000-1100 nm.

11. A method for quantifying dermal hydration, the method comprising:

transmitting electromagnetic radiation so that the electromagnetic radiation is incident upon and reflected by a region comprising skin and any liquid closely associated with the skin, wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting a first type of electromagnetic radiation and transmitting a second type of electromagnetic radiation that is absorbed by liquid to a greater degree than the first type of electromagnetic radiation;

detecting the reflected electromagnetic radiation; and

tracking the region as the region moves, wherein the transmitting and the detecting are carried out while tracking the region.

15. An apparatus for quantifying dermal hydration at an exterior surface of skin, the apparatus comprising:

a transmitting mechanism for transmitting at least first and second types of electromagnetic radiation so that the first and second types of electromagnetic radiation are incident upon and reflected by the exterior surface of the skin and any liquid closely associated with the exterior surface of the skin, wherein the second type of electromagnetic radiation is absorbed by liquid to a greater degree than the first type of electromagnetic radiation; and

a detecting mechanism positioned for detecting the first and second types of electromagnetic radiation that are reflected by the exterior surface of the skin and any liquid closely associated with the exterior surface of the skin.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the transmitting mechanism is operative so that the first and second types of electromagnetic radiation are not detectable by a naked eye of a human.

17. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein:

the transmitting mechanism comprises;

a first transmitter for transmitting electromagnetic radiation with at least one wavelength selected from the range of approximately 1500-1600 nm, and

a second transmitter for transmitting electromagnetic radiation with at least one wavelength selected from outside of the range of the first transmitter; and

the detecting mechanism comprises;

a first detector for detecting electromagnetic radiation transmitted by the first transmitter, and

a second detector for detecting electromagnetic radiation transmitted by the second transmitter.

19. An apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising a housing that contains both the detecting mechanism and the transmitting mechanism.

20. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein:

the transmitting mechanism comprises;

a first transmitter for transmitting the first type of electromagnetic radiation,

a second transmitter for transmitting the second type of electromagnetic radiation, and

a beam combiner positioned so that both the first type of electromagnetic radiation transmitted by the first transmitter and the second type of electromagnetic radiation transmitted by the second transmitter are incident upon the beam combiner and the first and second types of electromagnetic radiation are together transmitted from the beam combiner in a beam that is incident upon the region so that at least a portion of the beam is reflected by the region; and

the detecting mechanism comprises;

a beam splitter positioned so at least a portion of the beam that is reflected by the region is incident upon the beam splitter and split into first and second portions,

a first detector for detecting the first type of electromagnetic radiation and positioned so that the first portion is incident upon the first detector, and

a second detector for detecting the second type of electromagnetic radiation and positioned so that the second portion is incident upon the second detector.

21. An apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising:

structure defining a first aperture positioned so that the beam transmitted from the beam combiner passes through the first aperture prior to being incident upon the region; and

structure defining a second aperture positioned so that at least the portion of the beam that is reflected by the region passes through the second aperture prior to being incident upon the beam splitter.

18. An apparatus for quantifying dermal hydration in a region, the apparatus comprising:

a transmitting mechanism for transmitting at least first and second types of electromagnetic radiation so that the first and second types of electromagnetic radiation are incident upon and reflected by the region, wherein the second type of electromagnetic radiation is absorbed by liquid to a greater degree than the first type of electromagnetic radiation; and

a detecting mechanism for detecting the first and second types of electromagnetic radiation that are reflected by the region,

wherein the detecting mechanism comprises a field of view, the transmitting mechanism transmits a beam that comprises the first and second types of electromagnetic radiation, and the apparatus further comprises a tracking mechanism for moving the field of view and the beam so that the region remains in the field of view and in the beam as the region moves.

22. An apparatus for quantifying dermal hydration in a dermal region, the apparatus comprising:

a detecting mechanism positioned for obtaining at least first and second measurements of electromagnetic radiation that has been reflected from the dermal region, wherein the dermal region is an exterior surface of skin and any liquid closely associated with the exterior surface of the skin, so that the detecting mechanism is positioned for obtaining the first and second measurements of electromagnetic radiation that has been reflected from the exterior surface of the skin and any liquid closely associated with the exterior surface of the skin; and

a processor operationally associated with the detecting mechanism for quantifying the amount of liquid in the region by determining a relationship between the first and second measurements.

25. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the detecting mechanism is operative so that:

the first measurement is a measurement of a first type of electromagnetic radiation that has been reflected from the region; and

the second measurement is a measurement of a second type of electromagnetic radiation that has been reflected from the region and that is absorbed by a liquid to a greater degree than the first type of electromagnetic radiation is absorbed by the liquid.

26. An apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the detecting mechanism comprises:

a first detector for detecting electromagnetic radiation with at least one wavelength selected from the range of approximately 1500-1600 nm; and

a second detector for detecting electromagnetic radiation with at least one wavelength selected from outside the range of the first detector.

27. An apparatus according to claim 22, further comprising a transmitting mechanism operative for transmitting electromagnetic radiation so that transmitted electromagnetic radiation is incident upon the region and reflected by the region to the detecting mechanism.

28. An apparatus according to claim 27, further comprising a housing that contains both the detecting mechanism and the transmitting mechanism.

29. An apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the detecting mechanism is operative so that:

the first measurement is a measurement of a first type of electromagnetic radiation that has been reflected from the region; and

the second measurement is a measurement of a second type of electromagnetic radiation that has been reflected from the region and that is absorbed by a liquid to a greater degree than the first type of electromagnetic radiation is absorbed by the liquid.

30. An apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the detecting mechanism comprises:

a first detector for detecting electromagnetic radiation with at least one wavelength selected from the range of approximately 1500-1600 nm; and

a second detector for detecting electromagnetic radiation with at least one wavelength selected from outside the range of the first detector.

23. An apparatus for quantifying dermal hydration in a region, the apparatus comprising:

a detecting mechanism for obtaining at least first and second measurements of electromagnetic radiation that has been reflected from the region; and

a processor operationally associated with the detecting mechanism for quantifying the amount of liquid in the region by determining a relationship between the first and second measurements,

wherein the detecting mechanism comprises a field of view and the apparatus further comprises a tracking mechanism for moving the field of view so that the field of view tracks movements of the region.

24. An apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising a transmitting mechanism operative for transmitting electromagnetic radiation so that transmitted electromagnetic radiation is incident upon the region and reflected by the region to the detecting mechanism, wherein the transmitting mechanism is operative for transmitting a beam that comprises electromagnetic radiation that is at least partially absorbed by liquid, and the tracking mechanism is further operative for moving the beam so that the beam tracks movements of the region.