Japanese researchers developed a technology to measure the amounts of blood components such as fat without taking a blood sample anytime, anywhere.
The technology, which is expected to be used to prevent metabolic syndrome, etc, was co-developed by Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) and Fuji Electric Co Ltd.
The Optical Sensing Group of AIST's Electronics and Photonics Research Institute and Fuji Electric developed a portable spectral instrument that is capable of high-speed spectroscopic measurement of near-infrared light transmitted through a living body with a high sensitivity and can be used for analysis of blood components.
Because the instrument can detect the successive fluctuations of light transmitted through a living body, it becomes possible, for example, to continuously monitor the amount of fat in the blood without taking a blood sample. When used for calorie management at home, work, etc, it will contribute to the prevention of lifestyle-related diseases such as metabolic syndrome, the researchers said.
In general, when light is used to collect data about the inside of a living body, a method that measures light transmitted through the body instead of light reflected on it enables to obtain more detailed information. However, a light entering a living body attenuates soon; as a result, the light coming out of the body is weak.
Therefore, with a conventional measurement method, when a measurement object moves during measurement, it becomes impossible to obtain enough signals or to follow the dynamic fluctuations of the object.
This time, the researchers employed a spectroscopic method, which enables to collect light from a wide area without a limit on the area of light source, enabling high-speed spectroscopic measurement of weak light transmitted through a living body. Specifically, the method disperses light by Fourier transform without using slits (diffraction grating). After the light is separated into two, they are combined to generate interference waves (auto-correlation function), which are then Fourier-transformed to obtain a spectrum.
The researchers used inline Fourier transform, which does not require a mechanical mirror at the time of generating interference waves. With this method, it is not necessary to reduce luminous flux, making it possible to collect light from a wider area and improve sensitivity. They realized a sensitivity 1,000 times higher than that of a conventional spectral instrument, enabling real-time spectroscopic measurement of weak light transmitted through a living body.
© Japan Today
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globalwatcher
Job well done, Japan. Thumbs up from me.
Believe me there is a huge market for this!!