Chemical quantification with ubiquitous optoelectronic devices

Optical sensing in medical diagnosis and chemical analysis using optoelectronic devices is a growing technology since it offers many advantages including real time analysis, remote sensing capability and low cost approach. This thesis demonstrates that an optical sensing platform utilizing optical mouse, the ubiquitous optoelectronic computer peripheral, can be used in quantitative oxygen and pH analysis. Work in the first paper includes the use of optical mice for fluorescence intensity imaging of commercial oxygen patch. This involves gray color intensity analysis of filtered images to determine the gaseous oxygen level. In the second paper, the optical mice is used to measure light absorption and reflection of commercial pH test strips. This sensing scheme is based on detecting the colorimetric change in response of pH test strips to different pH values. The linearity and sensitivity was comparable to those of traditional spectrometric measurement. This novel, cost-effective approach demonstrates potential application of using optical mouse for simultaneous monitoring and imaging of biological or chemical samples. Therefore, quantitative chemical analysis is possible with even very common computer peripheral devices with the aid of commercial sensor strips --Abstract, page iv

Versatile Optochemical Quantification with Optical Mouse

There is an ever increasing need for simple, low-cost instruments for ubiquitous medical and environmental measurements in conjunction with networks and Internet-of-things. This work demonstrates that the optical mouse, one of the most common optoelectronic computer peripherals, can be used for chemical quantification. Particularly, we explore the feasibility of using the preassembled optical platform of mouse for oxygen and pH quantification. The image sensor and the light-emitting diode (LED) serve as photodetector and excitation/illumination light source, respectively, while the preinstalled microoptics (e.g., lens and waveguide) provide a fixed optical arrangement convenient for sample analysis. This novel, cost-effective approach demonstrates the potential application of optical mouse for bioanalytical devices in conjunction with commercial sensor strips or simple microfluidic elements. This is one viable option for seamless integration of bioanalytical capability into existing personal computers and associate networks without significant additional hardware

Optical Mouse as pH Analyzer

Optical sensor for chemical analysis is a growing technology since it offers many advantages. The goal of this research is to achieve pH sensing using low-cost optoelectronics devices such as optical mouse, which consist of photodetector, light source and pre-installed optics. Colorimetric pH measurements were done with the optical mouse utilizing commercial pH test strips. All images were taken with an built-in image sensor of optical mice and several factors for image acquisition such as optical filter, light source and gray scale image analysis were evaluated. pH evaluation with spectrophotometer was also conducted and compared with data obtained with mice in a pH range between 2-12 providing reliable results

Versatile Optochemical Quantification with Optical Mouse

There is an ever increasing need for simple, low-cost instruments for ubiquitous medical and environmental measurements in conjunction with networks and Internet-of-things. This work demonstrates that the optical mouse, one of the most common optoelectronic computer peripherals, can be used for chemical quantification. Particularly, we explore the feasibility of using the preassembled optical platform of mouse for oxygen and pH quantification. The image sensor and the light-emitting diode (LED) serve as photodetector and excitation/illumination light source, respectively, while the preinstalled microoptics (e.g., lens and waveguide) provide a fixed optical arrangement convenient for sample analysis. This novel, cost-effective approach demonstrates the potential application of optical mouse for bioanalytical devices in conjunction with commercial sensor strips or simple microfluidic elements. This is one viable option for seamless integration of bioanalytical capability into existing personal computers and associate networks without significant additional hardware