Side-vented microcradle for prenidial incubator

• US 20080097143A1
• Filed: 10/16/2006
• Published: 04/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eurica Califorrniaa
• Original Assignee: Eurica Califorrniaa
• Inventors: Califorrniaa, Eurica
• Granted Patent: US 8,292,798 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/22
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 1/02 Preservation of living parts
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 1/0263 Non-refrigerated containers specially adapted for transporting or storing living parts whilst preserving, e.g. cool boxes, blood bags or "straws" for cryopreservation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/435 for embryo or ova transplantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 11/00 Baby-incubators; Couveuses
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5027 by integrated microfluidic structures, i.e. dimensions of channels and chambers are such that surface tension forces are important, e.g. lab-on-a-chip B01L3/5023 takes precedence; micromixers B01F33/30; microreactors for synthesis B01J19/0093; microcapillary devices in general B81B1/00
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 21/06 for in vitro fertilization
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 25/00 Means for supporting, enclosing or fixing the microorganisms, e.g. immunocoatings
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 29/04 Filters; Permeable or porous membranes or plates, e.g. dialysis
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 41/14 Incubators; Climatic chambers per se B01L1/00

Abstract

The invention relates to an incubator for babies. It is of special value for the treatment of premature infants as an intensive care unit at any time during life from creation to implantation. A cradle is sided with ports to enable fluidic ventilation. Advantageously the incubator includes an optical path for imaging the patient via a clear bottom and open top. The incubator is provided with easy access and various accessories required for an intensive care unit.

Claims

1. A prenidial incubator having a side-vented microcradle, comprising:

a fluidic circuit assembly, the fluidic circuit assembly comprising a fluidic circuit board populated with components to provide intensive medical care in a controlled environment for a human embryo or hatchling patient who is enclosed in the microcradle, the fluidic circuit board, comprising;

substantially planar layers bonded together, the planar layers, forming the microcradle having side vents and associated microfluidic channels for fluidic ventilation of the patient, a clear bottom flooring layer for visualization of the patient via a vertical path for optics, and an open top for easy access to the patient who is cradled in the microcradle, wherein the microcradle is formed by a hole made through all planar layers except the flooring layer, the hole forming sidewalls for the microcradle, and wherein the side vents are formed by the microfluidic channels making fluidic communication with the microcradle via ventilation ports located on the sidewalls of the microcradle, whereby the patient in the microcradle is fluidically ventilated by means of urging a selectable protocol of gentle fluid flow through the side vents via the microfluidic channels making fluidic communication with the microcradle.

2. The incubator of claim 1 further including a circulating temperature bath to maintain incubator temperatures by means of at least one running fluid urged in a manner of continuous or droplet flow through channels formed in the fluidic circuit board, a temperature of the running fluid being regulated over a continuous range by means of controlling a mixing of fluids from two or more thermostatic reservoirs or by means of controlling a heating or cooling of the running fluid by means of heaters and coolers populated on the fluidic circuit assembly, wherein the controlling means includes an algorithm of mixing or feedback from a temperature detecting means.

3. The incubator of claim 2 further including machine-readable indicia or markings etched on one or more surfaces of the fluidic circuit assembly by means of ion-beam etching, wherein the indicia or markings are optically readable by a computer and are thereby capable of being processed by means of computer software to serve as data or an instruction set, whether to enable an automated or computer-assisted control of patient care devices, to enable a humanly meaningful interpretation of the indicia or markings in connection with a visual display, or to enable data supplied by the indicia or markings to be related to data stored in a computer data structure.

4. The incubator of claim 3 further including a clean room to isolate the incubator, wherein the clean room maintains air pressure for the incubator, the incubator, further including lateral and vertical airflow systems to maintain humidity, air composition, and air temperature in respective lateral and vertical airflow regions around the incubator, the incubator being supported on a table platform inside the clean room, wherein the vertical airflow system is provided with a flow hood having transparent sliding doors to surround the table for further isolation of the incubator on the table.

5. The incubator of claim 4 wherein the flooring layer is 170 microns thick and has a refractive index of 1.515 to enable conformity with high resolution microscopy techniques employing an inverted microscope.

6. The incubator of claim 4 wherein the flooring layer or sidewalls include a thermal barrier or void to isolate the patient from a surrounding environment in a manner of double-walled construction.

7. The incubator of claim 4 further including a MEMS-actuated cover for the microcradle to provide a closure for the open top in case of a need for closure.

8. The incubator of claim 1 further including an optical alarm and volume-sensing device to detect volume changes in a microdrop placed over the patient in the microcradle, said device comprising a beam of light from a light source and a photodetector array, the beam of light being directed through a meniscus of the microdrop in a lens fashion and being subsequently detected by the photodetector array, such that changes in microdrop volume are registered by the photodetector array, given that corresponding changes in a lens shape of the meniscus will cause the light beam to be focused on corresponding points on the photodetector array as an indicator of microdrop volume.

9. The incubator of claim 1 further comprising a transfer catheter for transferring the human embryo or hatchling patient between another incubator and a maternal body, wherein the fluidic circuit board is cut and polished to form a rounded catheter shape, such that the transfer catheter possesses anisotropic flexibility with respect to axes that are parallel versus perpendicular to the planar layers forming the fluidic circuit board, and wherein a distal end of the transfer catheter houses a vented microcradle and means of microfluidics, such that in operation a uterine fluid is pumped and circulated through the distal end of the transfer catheter to urge the human embryo or hatchling patient out of the vented microcradle and into a uterine cavity.

10. The incubator of claim 1 wherein the patient is made to transit via a fluid flow urged along a micro-canal formed by an elongated microcradle with an open top, and wherein the patient is thereby made to encounter patient care devices along the micro-canal.

11. A method of patient care for use in a prenidial incubator, comprising:

urging a fluid flow for treatment purposes so as to water massage a patient or lift the patient off of a microcradle flooring, the microcradle forming an enclosure for the patient, wherein the fluid flow is urged by a microfluidic means via any combination of side vents or flooring vents in fluidic communication with the microcradle.

12. A temperature measurement test pattern to calibrate a radiometer for use in a prenidial incubator, the radiometer being sensitive to radiation over a range of wavelengths, such that a temperature of a patient or incubator component is measured by means of non-contact microthermography employing the calibrated radiometer, comprising:

a backing having first and second regions visible thereon, the first and second regions emitting radiation at respective short and long wavelengths within the sensitivity range of the radiometer and being substantially transparent to radiation elsewhere within said range, whereby a temperature-dependent ratio of radiation emitted from first and second regions and detected by the radiometer correlates by lookup to an actual temperature.

13. A variable focus liquid lens assembly for use in a prenidial incubator, comprising:

a microfluidic means of filling the assembly with one or more liquid lenses;

a hydraulic means of articulating lens focus; and

,

a charged electrowetting means of articulating lens focus;

such that a filling of the assembly with one or more liquid lenses is articulated by the microfluidic means, and such that a changing of lens focus is articulated by any combination of the hydraulic means and the charged electrowetting means, whereby a patient or patient care devices are optically focused upon inside the incubator;

wherein the assembly is formed by substantially planar layers laminated together;

said planar layers containing a lens chamber and a plurality of microfluidic channels formed by microfabrication, at least two of said microfluidic channels being in fluidic communication with said lens chamber;

wherein the microfluidic means comprises means of urging fluids to flow in fluidic communication with the lens chamber via associated microfluidics, such that in operation said lens chamber is filled with alternating liquid layers consisting of type A and type B fluids, type A fluids being polar and conducting, type B fluids being non-conducting, and adjacent type A and B fluids being immiscible, such that a given liquid lens is formed at a meniscus interface formed between adjacent type A and B fluids having different indices of refraction, thereby filling the assembly with one or more liquid lenses;

wherein the hydraulic means comprises means of urging fluids to flow in fluidic communication with the lens chamber via associated microfluidics, such that in operation lens focus is articulated hydraulically by moving the meniscus interface forming the given liquid lens by means of hydraulic pressure urged via selected microfluidic channels in fluidic communication with the lens chamber, thereby changing lens focus by way of changing a lens position; and

,

wherein the charged electrowetting means comprises an electrically insulated electrode with a hydrophobic surface deposited annularly on selected sidewall regions of the lens chamber by means of conformal chemical vapor deposition on selected planar layers, said insulated electrode forming an electrolytic capacitor when a direct current voltage is applied via conductive traces with respect to an uninsulated electrode placed in contact with a selected type A fluid layer inside the lens chamber, such that in operation lens focus is articulated by means of charged electrowetting as capacitive spreading causes the selected type A fluid layer to change a shape of the meniscus interface forming the given liquid lens by spreading over the surface of the insulated electrode, thereby changing lens focus by way of changing a lens shape.

14. The lens assembly of claim 13 wherein type A and type B fluids are optical liquids selected for their transmittance, refractive index dispersion or Abbe'"'"'s number, and chemical compatibility, whereby compound liquid lenses are formed by alternating liquid layers, thereby enabling correction for chromatic aberration.

15. The lens assembly of claim 14 wherein hydraulic movement of a selected liquid lens in the lens chamber enables a zoom lens focus of the selected liquid lens based on a change in a relative position of the selected liquid lens with respect to another lens.

16. The lens assembly of claim 15 wherein the lens chamber is filled with first, second, and third liquid layers, the second layer consisting of type A fluid and the other two layers consisting of type B fluids, or the second layer consisting of type B fluid and the other two layers consisting of type A fluids, and wherein the shapes of menisci formed at interfaces occurring between respective first and second and second and third liquid layers are separately controlled by means of charged electrowetting, such that the assembly forms a variable focus liquid lens capable of assuming six selectable lens shapes:

convex-concave, meniscus, biconcave, plano-concave, biconvex, and plano-convex.

17. The lens assembly of claim 15 wherein a given planar layer of the assembly forms or is bonded to a given planar layer of a fluidic circuit board associated with the incubator.

18. The lens assembly of claim 17 wherein the given planar layer of the fluidic circuit board comprises a microlens, the microlens, forming a flooring layer for the incubator, supporting the patient as a flooring, and fitting a portion of his or her egg or body by means of a concavity formed in the microlens.

19. The lens assembly of claim 17 further including a series of liquid lens layers forming a microscope objective, wherein selected liquid lens layers are partitioned or bounded by an optical material, microlens, or MEMS optics device or system.

20. A digital microfluidic system for use in a prenidial incubator, comprising:

means to urge a droplet of fluid according to the art of electrowetting by turning a series of electrodes on and off in a progression to move the droplet; and

,

a self-scooting circuitry to control the urging means;

the self-scooting circuitry comprising;

a series of liquid contact type electrical switches, wherein an electronic circuit is completed by a droplet of electrolyte such that a liquid forming the droplet bridges a gap between electrical conductors forming the switch; and

,

means of electronic circuitry, wherein a number of electronic circuits controlling the electrodes are successively completed in a predetermined sequence, responsive to a droplet movement over electrical contacts formed by the switches;

such that the droplet movement progresses in a self-sustaining way over the series of electrodes until a predetermined break in the electronic circuitry is encountered, whereby the droplet is urged between areas of the incubator or between patient care devices associated with the incubator.

21. The microfluidic system of claim 20 further including a pacer track and at least one free track, respective lengths of track being formed by a series of electrodes to control droplet movement along the track, wherein self-scooting circuitry associated with movement of a pacer droplet along the pacer track controls both the movement of the pacer droplet and movement of a free droplet along the free track, such that movement of the free droplet mimics movement of the pacer droplet, and such that the free droplet is not subject to electrical currents passed through the pacer droplet via liquid contact switches associated with self-scooting circuitry along the pacer track.

22. The microfluidic system of claim 20 wherein control electrodes CE located at positions numbered 1 through N along a track are controlled by liquid contact switches S located at the same numbered positions along the track, such that a turning on and off of a given control electrode located at an Xth position along the track is controlled by a logic circuit of a form CE_X=OR[AND[S_X−

1,DDIR],AND[S_X+1,NOT[DDIR]]] or a circuit of equivalent logic, such that setting DDIR equal to 0 or 1 enables droplet movement in respective reverse and forward directions, wherein droplet movement is stopped or routed by means of circuitry to enable and disable signals from the liquid contact switches to the control electrodes, and wherein signals from the liquid contact switches enable circuitry for encoding droplet position, controlling devices, or initiating events.

23. The microfluidic system of claim 20 wherein the means to urge the droplet is selected from the group including:

a track of control electrodes located in a series on a bottom plate opposing a continuous ground electrode on a top plate in a dielectric electrowetting arrangement, such that a trailing control electrode is turned off to enable droplet movement in contrast to a leading control electrode that is turned on;

a track of control electrodes located in a series on a bottom plate opposing a matching track of control electrodes located on a top plate in a charged electrowetting arrangement, such that a trailing pair of top and bottom control electrodes is turned off to enable droplet movement in contrast to a leading pair of top and bottom control electrodes that is turned on;

a track of control electrodes located in a series on a bottom plate opposing a top plate in a charged electrowetting arrangement, such that a trailing control electrode is turned off to enable droplet movement in contrast to a leading control electrode that is turned on;

a track of control electrodes located in a series on a bottom plate having an open top in a charged electrowetting arrangement, such that a trailing control electrode is turned off to enable droplet movement in contrast to a leading control electrode that is turned on;

a track of control electrodes located in a series on a bottom plate opposing a matching track of ground electrodes located on a top plate in a dielectric electrowetting arrangement, such that a trailing pair of control and ground electrodes is turned off to enable droplet movement in contrast to a leading pair of control and ground electrodes that is turned on; and

,

a train of fluid cells consisting of an alternating series of type A fluid cells separated by type B fluid cells, type A fluids being polar and electrically conducting, type B fluids being non-conducting, and adjacent type A and B fluids being immiscible, such that adjacent type A fluid cells are charged with opposite electrical charges, and such that a track consisting of a series of control electrodes alternating in electrical charge enables movement of the train of fluid cells in a charged electrowetting arrangement.

24. The microfluidic system of claim 20 further including a transistorless self-scooting circuitry, such that an electrically conductive droplet is moved along a track of control electrodes by means of dielectric electrowetting without need of a transistorized circuitry, such that a control electrode in a trailing position with respect to a moving droplet discharges electrically through the droplet with respect to a ground electrode when the droplet comes into contact with points of electrical contact formed by a given liquid contact switch controlling the discharge, said points of electrical contact establishing electrical communication between the ground electrode and the trailing control electrode via a leading edge of the droplet.