Biological Fluid Analysis System and Method

A system for measuring optical characteristics of a biological fluid using a portable computing device having an integral camera, the camera having a lens, a sample of biological fluid being contained in a transparent viewing chamber in a sample slide, the system comprising:

• (a) a scope comprising:
• (i) an imaging tube having proximal and distal ends and having a slide holder adapted to receive the sample slide so that the viewing chamber is maintained inside the imaging tube, the imaging tube defining a light path between the viewing chamber and a viewing opening in the proximal end of the imaging tube;
• (ii) a light source adapted to illuminate the sample of biological fluid in the viewing chamber when the sample slide is in the slide holder;
• (iii) a lens system disposed inside the imaging tube, positioned to receive light reflected or transmitted along the light path by the sample of biological fluid contained in the viewing chamber, and adapted to present a magnified image of a portion of the sample of biological fluid at the viewing opening, the lens system comprising an ocular lens mounted in the imaging tube towards the proximal end of the imaging tube, and an objective lens mounted in the imaging tube between the viewing chamber and the ocular lens so that the viewing chamber is in a focal plane of the objective lens;
• and
• (iv) a case connector;
• (b) a case for attaching to the portable computing device, the case comprising a lens opening positioned to expose the camera lens when the case is attached to the portable computing device, and comprising a scope connector adapted to mate with the case connector on the scope to maintain the scope in a fixed position relative to the portable computing device so that the magnified image at the viewing opening is presented to the camera lens through the lens opening;
• and
• (c) a software application adapted to run on the portable computing device and adapted to analyze a photograph of the magnified image taken by the camera to determine at least one optical characteristic of the sample.