Device and Method for Non-Invasive Measuring of Analytes

• US 20170100064A1
• Filed: 12/03/2014
• Published: 04/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IMEC International
• Original Assignee: IMEC International
• Inventors: Van Dorpe, Pol, Peumans, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 11,096,608 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0233 Special features of optical sensors or probes classified in A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0066 Optical coherence imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0075 by spectroscopy, i.e. measuring spectra, e.g. Raman spectroscopy, infrared absorption spectroscopy A61B5/0071 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1451 for interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/443 Evaluating skin constituents, e.g. elastin, melanin, water
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02091 Tomographic interferometers, e.g. based on optical coherence
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0256 Compact construction
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0291 Housings; Spectrometer accessories; Spatial arrangement of elements, e.g. folded path arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/44 Raman spectrometry; Scattering spectrometry ; Fluorescence spectrometry
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/35 using infrared light G01N21/39 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/65 Raman scattering
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/0633 Directed, collimated illumination
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/0636 Reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/12 Circuits of general importance; Signal processing

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to devices and methods for non-invasive measuring of analytes. At least one embodiment relates to a wearable system for non-invasive measuring of a concentration of an analyte in skin tissue. The wearable system includes an integrated circuit that includes a first optical unit. The first optical unit includes a Raman spectrometer. The first optical unit also includes an OCT spectrometer and an interferometer optically coupled to the OCT spectrometer or an infrared (IR) spectrometer. The first optical unit additionally includes a light coupler. The wearable system further includes a first light source for performing Raman spectroscopy. The wearable system additionally includes a second light source for performing OCT spectroscopy or IR spectroscopy. Still further, the wearable system includes read-out electronics to determine an optical model of the skin tissue based on the spectroscopic data and to determine the concentration of the analyte.

Claims

1. A wearable system for non-invasive measuring of a concentration of an analyte in skin tissue, comprising:

an integrated circuit comprising a first optical unit, wherein the first optical unit comprises;

a Raman spectrometer;

an OCT spectrometer;

an interferometer optically coupled to the OCT spectrometer or an infrared spectrometer; and

a light coupler positioned to couple scattered or reflected light from illuminated skin tissue into the Raman spectrometer and into one or both of the OCT spectrometer and the infrared (IR) spectrometer; and

a first light source optically coupled to or integrated in the integrated circuit and configured to emit a laser beam for performing Raman spectroscopy;

a second light source optically coupled to or integrated in the integrated circuit and configured to emit a broadband light beam for performing OCT spectroscopy or IR spectroscopy; and

read-out electronics electrically coupled to the integrated circuit and configured to read out spectroscopic data from the Raman spectrometer, to read out spectroscopic data from one or both of the OCT spectrometer and the IR spectrometer, to determine an optical model of the skin tissue based on the spectroscopic data from the OCT spectrometer or the IR spectrometer, and to determine the concentration of the analyte based on a correlation between the spectroscopic data from the Raman spectrometer and the determined optical model of the skin tissue.

2. The wearable system according to claim 1, wherein the determined optical model of the skin tissue comprises thicknesses and optical properties of different layers of the skin tissue.

3. The wearable system according to claim 1, wherein the determined optical model of the skin tissue comprises information on a refractive index of interstitial fluid and blood in the skin tissue.

4. The wearable system according to claim 1, wherein the read-out electronics are configured to read out the spectroscopic data from the Raman spectrometer simultaneously with the spectroscopic data from the OCT spectrometer or the IR spectrometer.

5. The wearable system according to claim 1, wherein the wearable system is packaged in a wearable casing, and wherein the wearable casing is adapted to press the integrated circuit against the skin tissue of an individual when worn, thereby allowing scattered and reflected light from illuminated skin tissue to be received by the integrated circuit.

6. The wearable system according to claim 5, wherein the wearable casing is a wristband, and wherein the size of the wristband is adaptable to allow the pressing of the integrated circuit against the skin of the individual when worn.

7. The wearable system according to claim 5, wherein the wearable casing is a watch comprising a watch strap, and wherein the size of the watch strap is adaptable to allow the pressing of the integrated circuit against the skin of the individual when worn.

8. The wearable system according to claim 1, further comprising a third light source optically coupled to the integrated circuit and configured to emit a broadband light beam, wherein the second light source and the third light source each provide a broadband light beam to one of the IR spectrometer or the OCT spectrometer, and wherein the read-out electronics are further configured to read out and correlate the spectroscopic data from the Raman, OCT, and IR spectrometers and determine the concentration of the analyte based on the correlated spectroscopic data.

9. The wearable system according to claim 8, wherein the second light source is a low-coherence light source or a wide bandwidth source, and wherein the third light source is a low-coherence light source or a wide bandwidth source.

10. The wearable system according to claim 1, further comprising at least one optical reflector adapted to couple light from the integrated circuit.

11. The wearable system according to claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit further comprises an imaging region, wherein the imaging region is optically coupled to the Raman spectrometer and to the OCT spectrometer or the infrared spectrometer.

12. A method for non-invasive measuring of a concentration of an analyte in skin tissue using a wearable system, comprising:

simultaneously obtaining spectra of Raman scattered light and one or both of OCT spectra and IR spectra in a non-invasive way at the skin tissue using an integrated circuit of the wearable system that comprises a first optical unit, a first light source configured to emit a laser beam for performing Raman spectroscopy, and a second light source configured to emit a broadband light beam for performing OCT spectroscopy or IR spectroscopy, wherein the first optical unit comprises a Raman spectrometer, an OCT spectrometer, an interferometer optically coupled to the OCT spectrometer or an infrared spectrometer, and a light coupler positioned to couple scattered or reflected light from illuminated skin tissue into the Raman spectrometer and into one or both of the OCT spectrometer and the infrared (IR) spectrometer;

obtaining, by read-out electronics of the wearable system that are electrically coupled to the integrated circuit, an optical model of the skin tissue based on one or both of the obtained OCT spectra and IR spectra;

correlating the obtained spectra of Raman with the obtained optical model;

and determining, by the read-out electronics, the concentration of the analyte using the correlated data spectra of Raman and the obtained optical model.

13. The method according to of claim 12, wherein the optical model of the skin tissue comprises thicknesses and optical properties of different layers of the skin tissue.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the optical model of the skin tissue comprises information indicative of the refractive index of interstitial fluid and blood in the skin tissue.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein simultaneously obtaining spectra of Raman scattered light and one or both of OCT spectra and IR spectra comprises simultaneously obtaining spectra of Raman scattered light, OCT spectra, and IR spectra.

16. The method according to claim 12, further comprising obtaining the optical model of the skin tissue underneath a sensor, wherein the skin model comprises information on thickness and optical properties of different layers of the skin tissue.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the skin model further comprises information indicative of the refractive index of interstitial fluid and blood in the skin tissue.

18. The method according to claim 12, wherein the analyte is glucose.

19. The method according to claim 12, wherein obtaining Raman spectra comprises simultaneously obtaining spectra of Raman scattered light of the tissue at different locations.

20. A central processing unit for processing data configured to execute a method for non-invasive measuring of a concentration of an analyte in skin tissue using a wearable system, the method comprising:

simultaneously obtaining spectra of Raman scattered light and one or both of OCT spectra and IR spectra in a non-invasive way at the skin tissue using an integrated circuit of the wearable system that comprises a first optical unit, a first light source configured to emit a laser beam for performing Raman spectroscopy, and a second light source configured to emit a broadband light beam for performing OCT spectroscopy or IR spectroscopy, wherein the first optical unit comprises a Raman spectrometer, an OCT spectrometer, an interferometer optically coupled to the OCT spectrometer or an infrared spectrometer, and a light coupler positioned to couple scattered or reflected light from illuminated skin tissue into the Raman spectrometer and into one or both of the OCT spectrometer and the infrared (IR) spectrometer;

obtaining, by read-out electronics of the wearable system that are electrically coupled to the integrated circuit, an optical model of the skin tissue based on one or both of the obtained OCT spectra and IR spectra;

correlating the obtained spectra of Raman with the obtained optical model; and

determining, by the read-out electronics, the concentration of the analyte using the correlated spectra of Raman and the obtained optical model.