Optical fiber as the basis of a blood test in real time

Optical fiber literally changed the world - thanks to the creation and use of optical fiber data transmission is much faster than ever before. Besides network equipment, optical fiber is used in some other areas of science and technology, and now it will be able to use and physicians for rapid blood analysis in real time.

The new system allows almost instantly detect the presence of these or other substances in the blood that are "markers" of a particular disease. Technology developed yet, but the first prototypes have already shown great opportunities of the new system.



The system consists of a "probe" that plunges directly into the blood, and blood analysis system, which has a size equal to the size of the tablet. Actually, this whole "laboratory", which replaces all the equipment of a modern laboratory analysis of blood, with its centrifuges, electronic analyzer and all.

The system is the most important element of the probe itself, which is a fiber with a system of reflectors and the outer coating which binds some substances of blood, those "markers", if available. Light goes over fiber, reflected reflector system on the inner cover. Subsequently, the light reflected from the walls and enters the spectrometer. If the outer covering of the "bound" molecules of the substances concerned, the spectrum of the reflected light beam is changed, and the spectrometer is a "pinpoint".



As a result, the physician can immediately see what substances are in the blood, which can detect the corresponding deflection / disease.

Of course, there is some difficulty - for coating, which binds the "markers", must be versatile and able to respond to the most important markers that are in human blood.

Prototypes of the system, as mentioned above, have shown good results. Thus, the system is now able to respond to the presence of a substance whose concentration in the blood is only 2 nanograms per liter. The cost of such a system when it starts to be produced on an industrial scale, will significantly lower the cost of existing systems, analysis of blood.

Well, except for the analysis of blood, such a system can be used to determine the water quality monitoring of water resources in a certain area, etc.

Via extremetech

Source: habrahabr.ru/post/217023/