EP-4736741-A1 - SPECTROSCOPY SYSTEM AND METHOD USING THE SAME

EP4736741A1EP 4736741 A1EP4736741 A1EP 4736741A1EP-4736741-A1

Abstract

A spectroscopy system comprising: a light delivery channel; a light receiving channel; and a reflective element; wherein the spectroscopy system is configurable in: a calibration arrangement in which light delivered from the light delivery channel is reflected from the reflective element and received in the light receiving channel; and a measurement arrangement in which light delivered from the light delivery channel travels through an object to be analysed and is received in the light receiving channel.

Inventors

ETARD, Octave
AVTZI, Stella

Assignees

Comind Technologies Limited

Dates

Publication Date: 20260506
Application Date: 20241029

Claims (15)

A method of using a spectroscopy system comprising: (i) a light delivery channel, (ii) a light receiving channel, and (iii) a reflective element, the method comprising: operating in a calibration arrangement in which light is delivered from the light delivery channel, reflected from the reflective element, and received in the light receiving channel; and operating in a measurement arrangement in which light is delivered from the light delivery channel, travels through an object to be analysed, and is received in the light receiving channel.
The method of claim 1, wherein light delivered from the light delivery channel is diffused prior to reflection from the reflective element and/or by the reflective element in the calibration arrangement, optionally wherein the light is diffused using at least one of: (i) a diffuser layer positioned between the light delivery channel and the reflective element, and (ii) the reflective element.
The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein light delivered from the light delivery channel is diffused and/or guided prior to travelling through the object in the measurement arrangement, optionally wherein the light is diffused and/or guided using a material layer positioned between the light delivery channel and the object.
The method of any preceding claim, wherein the method comprises transitioning from operating in the calibration arrangement to operating in the measurement arrangement, and wherein said transitioning comprises removing the reflective element.
The method of claim 4, wherein removing the reflective element comprises detaching the reflective element from a component which carries the light delivery channel.
The method of any preceding claim, further comprising determining an indication of an instrument response function for the spectroscopy system based on light received in the light receiving channel when operating in the calibration arrangement, optionally wherein analysing the object in the measurement arrangement is based on both: (i) light signals received from the object in the light receiving channel, and (ii) the determined instrument response function.
A spectroscopy system comprising: a light delivery channel; a light receiving channel; and a reflective element; wherein the spectroscopy system is configurable in: a calibration arrangement in which light delivered from the light delivery channel is reflected from the reflective element and received in the light receiving channel; and a measurement arrangement in which light delivered from the light delivery channel travels through an object to be analysed and is received in the light receiving channel.
The system of claim 7, further comprising a controller configured to determine an indication of an instrument response function for the system based on light received in the light receiving channel when in the calibration arrangement, optionally wherein the controller is configured to analyse the object based on both: (i) light signals received from the object in the light receiving channel, and (ii) the determined instrument response function.
The system of claim 7 or 8, further comprising a probe arranged to carry at least a portion of one or both of the light delivery channel and the light receiving channel.
The system of claim 9, wherein the probe comprises at least one intervening layer arranged between the light delivery channel and the reflective element and/or the object.
The system of claim 9 or 10, wherein the reflective element is removably couplable to the probe and/or a component arranged to couple the probe to a surface of the object.
The system of any of claims 7 to 11, wherein transitioning from the calibration arrangement to the measurement arrangement comprises removing the reflective element to permit light to travel from the light delivery channel towards the object, optionally wherein the reflective element comprises a tab to facilitate removal of the reflective element.
The system of any of claims 7 to 12, wherein the system comprises a coupling surface configured to couple the light delivery channel and/or the light receiving channel to: (i) the reflective element in the calibration arrangement, and (ii) the object to be analysed in the measurement arrangement, optionally wherein the coupling surface comprises an adhesive.
The system of any of claims 7 to 13, wherein at least one of: (i) the system comprises a diffuser layer arranged to diffuse light output from the light delivery channel, and (ii) the reflective element comprises a diffusive reflector, optionally wherein the diffuser layer comprises a mylar film.
The system of any of claims 7 to 14, wherein the reflective element comprises a reflective film, and/or wherein the spectroscopy system is a time-resolved spectroscopy system, optionally an iNIRS system.

Description

Technical Field The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for spectroscopy. In particular, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods relating to calibration and measurement of an optical spectroscopy system, such as a time-resolved spectroscopy system and/or an interferometric near infrared spectroscopy system (`iNIRS'). Background Spectroscopy methods such as iNIRS, diffuse correlation spectroscopy ('DCS'), time-resolved DCS ('TD-DCS') or time-resolved NIRS ('TD-NIRS') can be used to infer properties of an object by directing light from a light source, such as a laser, towards that object and then using a detector to measure corresponding properties of the light received from that object. The received light may include some of the light which was directed towards the object from the light source, and which subsequently scattered from the object and towards the detector. By monitoring this received light over time, and how the received light signals may change, one or more properties of the object can be inferred. For example, GB2619063 discloses non-invasive intracranial pressure sensing systems and methods which utilise iNIRS for non-invasively determining the intracranial pressure of a subject. It is desirable to provide improvements to such spectroscopic systems and methods. Summary Aspects of the disclosure are set out in the independent claims and optional features are set out in the dependent claims. Aspects of the disclosure may be provided in conjunction with each other, and features of one aspect may be applied to other aspects. In an aspect, there is provided, a spectroscopy system comprising: a light delivery channel; a light receiving channel; and a reflective element. The spectroscopy system is configurable in: a calibration arrangement in which light delivered from the light delivery channel is reflected from the reflective element and received in the light receiving channel; and a measurement arrangement in which light delivered from the light delivery channel travels through an object to be analysed and is received in the light receiving channel. Embodiments may enable the spectroscopy system to perform calibration using its own components. In particular, the spectroscopy system may itself have the ability to perform a calibration measurement using the same components and arrangement of components as would be used for analysing an object to be measured (except with the reflective element not impeding the delivery of light towards and from the object). The system may comprise a controller configured to determine an indication of an instrument response function (`IRF') for the system based on light received in the light receiving channel when in the calibration arrangement. The controller may be configured to analyse the object based on both: (i) light signals received from the object in the light receiving channel, and (ii) the determined instrument response function. For example, the controller may be configured to determine sample data for the object, wherein that sample data comprises data obtained for the object which has been calibrated using the IRF data. For example, the controller may be configured to obtain sample time-of-flight data. The system may comprise a probe arranged to couple (e.g. carry at least a portion of) one or both of the light delivery channel and the light receiving channel to a surface. For example, the probe may house a portion of both the light delivery channel and the light receiving channel. The reflective element may be removably couplable to the probe and/or a component arranged to couple the probe to a surface of the object. Removing the reflective film may permit light to travel from the light delivery channel, e.g. towards the object. The probe may be configured to be coupled to the reflective element in the calibration arrangement. The probe may be configured to be coupled to the object to be analysed in the measurement arrangement. Transitioning from the calibration arrangement to the measurement arrangement may comprise removing the reflective element from the probe. The reflective element may comprise a tab to facilitate removal of the reflective element from the probe. The reflective element may be arranged in a first position (for the calibration arrangement) in which it reflects light from the light delivery channel to the light receiving channel. The reflective element may be arranged in a second position (for the measurement arrangement) in which it does not impede the light path to/from the object to be analysed, e.g., in the second position the reflective element may have been removed from the probe. The probe may comprise a coupling surface configured to couple to: (i) the reflective element in the calibration arrangement, and (ii) the object to be analysed in the measurement arrangement. The coupling surface may comprise an adhesive. The probe may comprise at least one intervening layer arranged between the light deliv