The present disclosure relates to imaging and documentation systems for analyzing results of gel electrophoresis and membrane blotting experiments.
Gel documentation, or gel imaging, systems are used to record and measure labeled nucleic acid and protein in a variety of configurations depending on throughput and sample type. Imaging systems, such as gel imaging systems, with all the necessary components, are too complex and expensive for the average educational institution or personal consumer.
The present disclosure relates to imaging systems, which include mobile devices and cloud-based connectivity platforms.
Depicted in
The imaging system 10 may include or use a plurality of different components, such as a light source 18 positioned within the imaging box 12. The imaging box 12, according to the exemplary embodiment, may be described generally as an enclosure for shielding an interior of the imaging box 12, and samples positioned in the imaging box 12, from external light sources, including ambient light, and providing a darkroom environment. The imaging box 12 includes an opening therethrough for viewing samples positioned on or at a designated surface positioned within the interior of the imaging box 12.
Further, the imaging box 12, as will be described below, may include a plurality of electronically controlled components 20 and non-electronically controlled components 22. An electronic control system 24, included in or in communication with the imaging box 12, may be configured to control some features or parameters of the imaging box 12, such as, positions of filters and/or lenses, and/or other electronically controlled components 20 of the imaging box 12. For example, the electronic control system 24 may control operation of a motor configured to change or reposition filters and/or lenses. One of the electronically controlled components 20 of the imaging box 12 may be a controller for an environmental condition inside the imaging box 12.
The mobile device 14 may include one or more hardware processors, or central processing units, 26 for executing one or more programs and controlling operations of one or more components 20, 22, consistent with the teachings herein. A mobile app, part of the app, or application, module 28, is configured for installation on the mobile device 14 and is configured to communicatively connect the mobile device 14 and the imaging box electronic control system 24. The mobile app is configured for user interaction via a graphical user interface of the mobile device 14. The graphical user interface facilitates control of camera features of the mobile device 14 including at least one of a light, filter, and lens.
The mobile device 14 also includes a communications module 30, which facilitates communications between components within and/or outside the mobile device 14. The components of the mobile device 14, and even the imaging system 10 in general, may include or utilize multiple interacting computing systems or devices and may be connected to other devices that are not specifically illustrated, including via Bluetooth communication or other direct communication, through one or more networks such as the Internet, via the Web, or via one or more private networks (e.g., mobile communication networks, etc.).
A device or other component of the imaging system 10 of the present disclosure may comprise any combination of hardware and/or software that may interact and perform the functionality described herein. Exemplary hardware may include, without limitation, desktop computers or other computers (e.g., tablets, slates, etc.), database servers, network storage devices and other network devices, smart phones and other mobile phones and devices.
The data storage module 32 may include memory for storing data and images, and instructions for the mobile device 14 that are processed by the one or more processors 26.
The app module 28 may utilize and/or interact with the processor 26, communications module 30, and/or data storage module 32 for facilitating the operations of the imaging system 10 of the present disclosure. The app module 28 may include and/or utilize imaging and/or analysis software related to the functionality of the present disclosure. Specifically, the app module 28 may include analysis functionality for analyzing the sample based on the photos. Alternatively, or additionally, the analysis software, referenced also as computer readable medium, may reside in the cloud 16, and utilize cloud-based services, including processors 34 and storage 36.
The imaging module 38 may include one or more imaging components, which include photographic and/or video recording capabilities (optionally with one or more specialized lenses and/or filters and/or additional associated equipment). The mobile device 14 is configured for capturing photos using a camera of the mobile device 14.
The app module 28 and/or the imaging module 38 may facilitate the manual or automatic capture of images with the mobile device 14, according to the present disclosure.
The mobile device 14 also includes a display system, which includes a main display screen having a plurality of graphical display elements that facilitate user input for operating the imaging system 10, as discussed later in greater detail.
Cloud-based networking is referred to as the network communication and interconnectivity between IT resources/application within a cloud computing infrastructure. It may include one or more processors 34, on servers, and data storage 36 and enables a cloud computing solution/service to interact and perform network connection with other resources on the cloud 16. Any cloud-based solution refers to applications, storage, on-demand services, computer networks, or other resources that are accessed with an internet connection through another provider's shared cloud computing framework.
Turning now to
Additional exemplary components of the imaging box 12 are shown in
An emission filter wheel 62, may include a plurality of emission filters (proper filter wavelengths) that are rotatable with the emission filter wheel 62 such that each filter may be positioned in a camera field of view of the sample 54 in series with rotation of the emission filter wheel 62. Filter wheels 62 are used on microscopes, cameras, and video systems to position a selected filter in an imaging path quickly and accurately. Typically, a filter, or combination of filters, is used to attenuate the light intensity, or to prevent unwanted spectral wavelengths from contaminating the recorded, or captured, image.
The mobile device 14 may operate according to the app module 28 and may be used to facilitate manual capture/auto capture, stack capture and/or series capture of images of the sample 60, when the sample 60 is positioned at a designated surface 64. Further, the mobile device 14 may be configured to provide a one-dimensional analysis, including: lanes and bands detection; molecular weight calibration; concentration calibration; and addition and deletion of colonies, size, and circularity filter. The mobile device 14 may communicate with the cloud-based system 16, providing storage and analysis of captured images.
Camera adjustment features of the imaging system 10 may include the ability to edit images (e.g., flip horizontally and vertically, rotate, crop, view as black and white, remove noise, enhance and sharpen.) Annotation tools, including text, highlighting, date/time stamping may also be available, along with the ability to determine area density (densitometry analysis), add/delete regions of interest, and colony counting.
According to the exemplary embodiment, the support structure 70 includes a pair of fold latch mechanisms 72 positioned on opposing sides of the opening of the imaging box 12. Each of the pair of fold latch mechanisms 72 biases the mobile device 14 toward the imaging box 12 and a released configuration in which the fold latch mechanism 72 is urged against the bias away from the mobile device 14.
Referring also to
The imaging system 10 disclosed herein includes a mobile device 14 for capturing images of a sample 60 and controlling environment conditions within the imaging box 12 using a Bluetooth connection with components of the imaging system 10. The images may be stored and analyzed within the mobile device 14 and/or a cloud-based computing system 16.
The present application is related to and claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/335,806, filed on Apr. 28, 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63335806 | Apr 2022 | US |