A method and apparatus are described for measuring the concentration of a gas with an absorption band in the ultraviolet range. The device includes an absorption chamber containing a gas, a light source, a selected optical bandpass filter, and ultraviolet photodetectors. The gas concentration is measured by the ratio of a transmitted intensity to an incident intensity with the Beer-Lambert Law relation. A second light source may be used for a compensation signal. A second method periodically changes the absorption coefficient by inserting a transparent material in the absorption path to measure the optical compensation signal. A third method periodically shortens the optical absorption path by moving the active detector closer to the light source to measure the optical compensation signal. The fourth method uses an optical element to deflect the optical beam to create a shorter absorption path as a reference for the incident signal using one detector.

There is set forth herein a light energy exciter that can include one or more light sources. A light energy exciter can emit excitation light directed toward a detector surface that can support biological or chemical samples.

This invention is capable of improving performance of a biochemical analyzer and facilitating the maintenance. A light source includes: a first LED that emits ultraviolet light and a second LED that has a light emission spectrum different from that of the first LED, the first LED and the second LED being disposed in parallel; a reflection surface that is opposite to the first LED and reflects light of the first LED; and a dichroic surface that is opposite to the second LED, reflects light of the first LED, and allows light of the second LED to penetrate. When an optical member including the dichroic surface is made to be the dichroic prism, the reflection surface reflects light of the first LED to the second LED side, and by using light source of a configuration having a light shielding unit between a light emission surface of the second LED and a dichroic prism, entering of a light emitted from the plural LEDs as a one light beam (beam) to an optical system of latter stage of the biochemical analyzer is enabled.

The invention relates to a system (15) for observing a plate (10) including wells (20), including, for each well (20): a source (40) comprising a light-emitting diode (60) capable of producing a light ray, a pinhole (70), and a light integrator (65), an optical sensor (185) able to collect the optical signal from the well (20), the system (15) being such that: a ratio between the length and the average transverse dimension (Dt) of each light integrator (65) is greater than or equal to 2.2, or at least one optical axis is off-centered relative to the propagation line, the ratio between the length and the average transverse dimension of the integrator being greater than or equal to 1.5.

Detection system comprising an examination region, a one-piece optical element including a focusing portion to concentrate light received from the examination region and a guiding portion to homogenize light received from the focusing portion, and a detector configured to detect homogenized light received from the guiding portion.

The present invention relates to a pillar structure for a biochip and includes a substrate which has a plate-shaped structure, and pillar members, each of which has one side detachably coupled to the substrate and the other side on which a sample is disposed.

A high sensitivity optical system for detection of chemical and biological analytes is disclosed comprising a vessel containing the chemical and biological analytes, a light-guide inside the vessel but separated from the vessel by the chemical and biological analytes, one or more excitation light sources at one end of the vessel, a detector at another end of the vessel, one or more excitation filters between the excitation light sources and the vessel, one or more emission filters between the vessel and the detector, and light directing components. The novel optical system is secured in a housing and connected to devices extrinsically or intrinsically for data input, process, display, storage, and communication. This optical system could enable clinical level diagnosis of a wide range of diseases in an inexpensive mobile point-of-care format. Furthermore, the form factor of the optical system can be significantly reduced to form a highly integrated lab-on-a-chip system.

A high sensitivity optical system for detection of chemical and biological analytes is disclosed comprising a vessel, a light-guide, analytes, excitation light source(s), a detector, excitation and emission filter(s), and light directing components. The novel optical system is secured in housing and connected to devices extrinsically or intrinsically for data input, process, display, storage, and communication. This optical system could enable clinical level diagnosis of a wide range of diseases in an inexpensive mobile point-of-care format. It can be a stand alone unit with single or an array of optical structures, or used in combination with other detection systems such as mobile microscope to form a qualitative and quantitative detection apparatus. It can also be implemented in some commercial instruments to improve sensitivities. Furthermore, the form factor of the optical system can be significantly reduced to form a highly integrated lab-on-a-chip solution.

An apparatus for characterizing a specimen and/or specimen container. The characterization apparatus includes an imaging location configured to receive a specimen container containing a specimen, a light source configured to provide lighting of the imaging location, and a hyperspectral image capture device. The hyperspectral image capture device is configured to generate and capture a spectrally-resolved image of a small portion of the specimen container and specimen at a spectral image capture device. The spectrally-resolved image data received at the spectral image capture device is processed by a computer to determine at least one of: segmentation of at least one of the specimen and/or specimen container, and determination of a presence or absence of an interferent, such as hemolysis, icterus, or lipemia. Methods of imaging a specimen and/or specimen container, and specimen testing apparatus including a characterization apparatus are described, as are other aspects.

Detection system comprising an examination region, a one-piece optical element including a focusing portion to concentrate light received from the examination region and a guiding portion to homogenize light received from the focusing portion, and a detector configured to detect homogenized light received from the guiding portion.