Hand-held synchronous scan spectrometer for in situ detection of pathogens and mineral deficiency in blood

A device comprising:

• a housing capable of being hand-held, wherein the housing includes:
• an excitation monochromator, wherein the excitation monochromator is configured to output a selected excitation wavelength of light at least via a first diffraction grating and within a range of excitation wavelengths and is further configured to transmit the selected excitation wavelength of light to a sample external to the housing;
• an emission monochromator, wherein the emission monochromator is configured to receive emitted light from the sample, and wherein the emission monochromator at least includes a second diffraction grating configured to generate dispersed light in response to the emitted light received at the second diffraction grating;
• a detector configured to receive the dispersed light from the second diffraction grating and further configured to generate spectral data based on the dispersed light;
• and
• a controller communicatively coupled to the excitation monochromator and communicatively coupled to the emission monochromator, wherein the controller is configured to determine a synchronous emission intensity based, at least in part, on the spectral data.

A method comprising:

• generating spectral data at a hand-held spectrometer, wherein generating the spectral data comprises:
• outputting, via a first diffraction grating of the hand-held spectrometer, a selected excitation wavelength of light within a range of excitation wavelengths;
• directing the outputted selected excitation wavelength of light toward a sample external to the hand-held spectrometer, wherein the sample fluoresces in response to the selected excitation wavelength of light;
• receiving, at a second diffraction grating of the hand-held spectrometer, light emitted by the sample to generate dispersed light;
• recording spectral data at a detector of the hand-held spectrometer, the spectral data generated in response to dispersed light received from the second diffraction grating of the hand-held spectrometer;
• and
• determining a synchronous emission intensity, at a controller of the hand-held spectrometer, wherein the synchronous emission intensity is based, at least in part, on the spectral data.