Cable movement-isolated multi-channel fluorescence measurement system

An optical measurement system for simultaneously making multiple fluorescence measurements at multiple distinct regions within a moving sample, the system comprising:

• a plurality of optical fibers having first ends coupled to the moving sample;
• an electrical rotary joint, the electrical rotary joint including a rotor and a stator, wherein the rotor includes at least one optical connection for receiving a bundle of second ends of the plurality of optical fibers as an image input, and a fluorescence stimulation/detection unit coupled to the at least one optical connection for introducing excitation light to the plurality of optical fibers and receiving returning fluorescence light from the plurality of optical fibers, wherein the stimulation/detection unit comprises an objective lens that receives the image input and couples light from the at least one light source to the second ends of the plurality of optical fibers, multiple light sources for generating the excitation light at selectable wavelengths, at least one optical multiplexing filter optically coupled to the at least one optical connection and the at least one light source for separating the returning fluorescence light from the excitation light, wherein the light from the at least one light source is collimated by a collimating lens, wherein collimated light from the collimating lens is focused by a focusing lens at the back focal plane of the objective lens, so that the second ends of the plurality of optical fibers receive uniform illumination from each of the at least one light source, and at least one image sensor coupled to the at least one optical connection for detecting the returning fluorescence light, wherein the second ends of plurality of optical fibers are optically coupled to corresponding ones of a plurality of regions of a field-of-view of the image sensor, a separation filter for separating the returning fluorescence light into multiple emissions of multiple wavelengths of the sample corresponding to the selectable wavelengths of the excitation light and directs components of the separated returning fluorescence light to corresponding different pixel sets of the corresponding ones of the plurality of regions of the field-of-view of the at least one image sensor, a housing that incorporates the objective lens, the at least one light source, the at least one optical multiplexing filter, and the at least one separation filter, and provides the at least one optical connection at an exterior surface of the housing, wherein an electrical signal output of the at least one image sensor is coupled from the rotor to the stator, and wherein the stator provides at least one electrical output coupled to the first electrical signal for providing electrical connection to the at least one electro-optical detector, and wherein an electrical input of the at least one light source is coupled from the rotor to the stator as a second electrical signal;
• and
• a data acquisition and control unit having one or more electrical detection inputs coupled to the at least one electrical output of the stator of the electrical rotary joint for recording an output of the at least one image sensor and having at least one output for controlling power supplied to the input of a corresponding one of the at least one light source.

An optical measurement system for simultaneously making multiple fluorescence measurements at multiple distinct regions within a moving sample, the system comprising:

• a plurality of optical fibers having first ends coupled to the moving sample;
• an electrical rotary joint, the electrical rotary joint including a rotor and a stator, wherein the rotor includes multiple optical connections for receiving second ends of the plurality of optical fibers and a corresponding plurality of fluorescence stimulation/detection units coupled to corresponding ones of the multiple optical connections for introducing excitation light to the plurality of optical fibers and receiving returning fluorescence light from the plurality of optical fibers, wherein the plurality of fluorescence stimulation/detection units each comprise multiple light sources for generating the excitation light for providing selectable wavelengths of the excitation light, multiple photo-detectors for detecting wavelengths of the returning fluorescence light corresponding to the selectable wavelengths of the excitation light, at least one separation filter for separating the excitation light from the returning fluorescence light and for separating the returning fluorescence light into the multiple emissions of multiple wavelengths of the sample corresponding to the selectable wavelengths of the excitation light and directing components of the separated returning fluorescence light to corresponding ones of the multiple photo-detectors, at least one optical multiplexing filter optically coupled to the multiple optical connections and the multiple light sources for separating the returning fluorescence light from the excitation light and directing the excitation light from the multiple light sources to the corresponding one of the multiple optical connections, wherein corresponding ones of the at multiple photo-detectors are coupled to the corresponding one of the multiple optical connections for receiving the returning fluorescence light from a corresponding one of the plurality of optical fibers, wherein outputs of the multiple photo-detectors are coupled from the rotor to the stator as at least one first electrical signal, and wherein the stator provides electrical outputs for providing electrical connection to the multiple photo-detectors, and wherein an electrical input of the at least one light source is coupled from the rotor to the stator as at least one second electrical signal;
• and
• a data acquisition and control unit having one or more electrical detection inputs coupled to the electrical outputs of the stator of the electrical rotary joint for recording an output of the multiple photo-detectors and at least one output for controlling power supplied to the input of a corresponding one of the at least one light source.

A method of simultaneously making multiple fluorescence measurements at multiple distinct regions within a moving sample, the method comprising:

• coupling first ends of a plurality of optical fibers to the moving sample;
• stimulating fluorescence emissions of multiple regions within the moving sample while preventing twisting of the plurality of optical fibers by introducing excitation light to second ends of the plurality of optical fibers from at least one fluorescence stimulation/detection unit of a rotor of an electrical rotary joint;
• detecting the fluorescence emissions from the multiple regions from the second ends of the plurality of optical fibers with the at least one fluorescence stimulation/detection unit of the rotor, wherein at least one fluorescence stimulation/detection unit of the rotor includes at least one optical connection for receiving second ends of the plurality of optical fibers, wherein the at least one fluorescence stimulation/detection unit is coupled to the at least one optical connection for performing the introducing of the excitation light and the detecting of the returning fluorescence light from the plurality of optical fibers and includes at least one light source for generating the excitation light, at least one optical multiplexing filter optically coupled to the at least one optical connection and the at least one light source for separating the returning fluorescence light from the excitation light, and at least one electro-optical detector coupled to the at least one optical connection for performing the detecting of the returning fluorescence light;
• coupling an electrical output of the at least one electro-optical detector from the rotor to a stator of the electrical rotary joint as a first electrical signal, wherein the stator provides at least one electrical output input for coupling to the first electrical signal providing an electrical connection to the at least one electro-optical detector;
• coupling an electrical input of the at least one light source from the rotor to the stator as a second electrical signal;
• and
• recording an output of the at least one electro-optical detector and controlling power supplied to the input of the at least one light source by a data acquisition and control unit having one or more electrical detection inputs coupled to the at least one electrical output of the stator of the electrical rotary joint and at least one output coupled to the at least one electrical input of the stator of the electrical rotary joint.