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US 10,094,759 B1Granted
Imaging device for measuring sperm motility
AssigneeHillel LLC
InventorsUtkan Demirci, Selcuk Kilinc
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed herein are imaging-based devices and systems for measuring sperm motility in samples of human or animal origin. The disclosed devices and systems have particular applicability in the fields of agricultural and clinical diagnostics, as well as in vitro fertilization.
Claims30
A device for imaging a sample, the device comprising:
- a) a substantially planar first component, wherein the first component comprises an alignment feature and a sample chamber configured to hold the sample to be imaged, and wherein at least one surface of the sample chamber is optically transparent;
- and
- b) a removable, substantially planar second component that forms a lid for the sample chamber and that comprises a micro lens, wherein the micro lens is optically aligned with the sample chamber and contacts the sample or is placed in close proximity to the sample when the removable second component is positioned in the alignment feature.
A motility analysis system comprising:
- a) a sample-containing device comprising:
- i) a substantially planar first component, wherein the first component comprises a first alignment feature and a sample chamber configured to hold a sperm sample to be imaged, and wherein at least one surface of the sample chamber is optically transparent;
- and
- ii) a removable, substantially planar second component that forms a lid for the sample chamber and that comprises a micro lens, wherein the micro lens is optically aligned with the sample chamber and contacts the sperm sample or is placed in close proximity to the sperm sample when the removable second component is positioned in the first alignment feature;
- and
- b) an imaging system, wherein the imaging system comprises:
- i) a light source configured to direct light through the optically transparent surface of the sample chamber;
- ii) an image sensor chip configured to acquire a series of one or more image(s) from light transmitted, scattered, or emitted by the sample and collected by the micro lens;
- iii) a processor configured to perform initial processing and storage of image data for the series of one or more image(s) acquired by the image sensor chip;
- and
- iv) a housing, wherein the housing comprises a second alignment feature and encloses the light source, and wherein the image sensor chip, micro lens, sample chamber, and light source are optically aligned when the device is positioned in the second alignment feature.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.