Modular optical sensor

An optical sensor system comprising:

• a main printed circuit board carrying a processor;
• a plurality of optical sensors each comprising:
• a housing defining a channel configured to receive a transparent tubing line through which fluid can flow during operation, the housing defining a primary optical pathway transecting the channel, a light emission optical pathway intersecting the primary optical pathway on one side of the channel, and a light detection optical pathway intersecting the primary optical pathway on an opposite side of the channel, wherein the primary optical pathway, the light emission optical pathway, and the light detection optical pathway are each surrounded by an optically opaque material to bound light movement therethrough, the light emission optical pathway intersects the primary optical pathway at a first angle causing light traveling linearly through the light emission optical pathway to change direction to travel through the primary optical pathway, and the light detection optical pathway intersects the primary optical pathway at a second angle causing light traveling linearly through the primary optical pathway to change direction to travel through the light emission optical pathway;
• a printed circuit board;
• an optical emitter mounted on the printed circuit board;
• and
• an optical detector mounted on the printed circuit board;
• the housing being positioned on the printed circuit board with the optical emitter aligned to emit light into the light emission optical pathway and the optical detector aligned to receive light from the light detection optical pathway,
• wherein the printed circuit board of each of the plurality of optical sensors is coupled to the main circuit board with the processor carried by the main circuit board being electrically coupled to the optical emitter and optical detector of each of the plurality of optical sensors and configured to control the optical emitter and optical detector of each of the plurality of optical sensors.

A method comprising:

• flowing a sample through a fluid tubing line extending through a plurality of optical sensors coupled to a main printed circuit board carrying a processor, each of the plurality of optical sensors comprising:
• a housing defining a channel in which the fluid tubing line is positioned, a primary optical pathway transecting the channel, a light emission optical pathway intersecting the primary optical pathway, and a light detection optical pathway intersecting the primary optical pathway on an opposite side of the channel, wherein the primary optical pathway, the light emission optical pathway, and the light detection optical pathway are each surrounded by an optically opaque material to bound light movement therethrough, the light emission optical pathway intersects the primary optical pathway at a first angle causing light traveling linearly through the light emission optical pathway to change direction to travel through the primary optical pathway, and the light detection optical pathway intersects the primary optical pathway at a second angle causing light traveling linearly through the primary optical pathway to change direction to travel through the light emission optical pathway;
• a printed circuit board coupled to the main printed circuit board;
• an optical emitter mounted on the printed circuit board;
• and
• an optical detector mounted on the printed circuit board;
• controlling, by the processor, the optical emitter of each of the plurality of optical sensors to emit light into the sample via the light emission optical pathway and the primary optical pathway;
• and
• controlling, by the processor, the optical detector of each of the plurality of optical sensors to detect light from the sample via the primary optical pathway and the light detection optical pathway.