SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR NON-INVASIVE SPECTROSCOPIC DETECTION FOR BLOOD ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION
An apparatus and method for acquiring and analyzing a spectroscopic sample for a substance from a sampling region of the tissue of a person at an interstitial region between the fingers of the person, by way of a probe and a spectroscopic detector for radiating the interstitial region with electromagnetic radiation and analyzing a diffuse-reflectance signal obtained from the tissue at the sampling region. The apparatus preferably also incorporates a biometric sensor to perform a verification of the person.
1 . An apparatus for acquiring and analyzing a spectroscopic sample for a substance from a sampling region of the tissue of a person, the apparatus comprising:
a source of electromagnetic radiation;
a probe for delivering the electromagnetic radiation to the tissue at the sampling region and obtaining a diffuse-reflectance signal from the tissue at the sampling region; and
a spectroscopic detector for analyzing the diffuse-reflectance signal for presence of the substance.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a biometric sensor to perform a verification of the person.
3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the biometric sensor is a fingerprint scanner.
4 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the apparatus controls access to a vehicle, machinery, or heavy equipment, and denies access if the biometric verification fails to verify the person as someone authorized to operate the vehicle, machinery, or heavy equipment.
5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the substance is alcohol.
6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the analysis comprises determining a blood alcohol concentration of the person.
7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the electromagnetic radiation being analyzed is in the wavelength range of about 2.1 microns to about 2.5 microns.
8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the substance is glucose.
9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic radiation being analyzed is in the wavelength range of about 2000 nanometers (nm) to about 2225 nm.
10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the substance is cholesterol.
11 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic radiation being analyzed is in the wavelength range of about 2225 nm to about 2500 nm.
12 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sampling region comprises the interstitial region between two adjacent fingers of the person.
13 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the sampling region comprises the interstitial region between an index finger and a corresponding middle finger of the person.
14 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising two spectroscopic detectors: a substance detector for detecting the substance and a wavelength calibration detector for calibrating the substance detector.
15 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the probe comprises a fiber optic bundle.
16 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the fiber optic bundle is bifurcated, with one portion for delivering a source radiation to the sampling region and another portion for returning a detected radiation to the spectroscopic detector.
17 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the spectroscopic detector comprises a tunable Fabry-Perot etalon.
18 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the tunable Fabry-Perot etalon is tuned by using a piezoelectric element.
19 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the tunable Fabry-Perot etalon is tuned by using a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device.
20 . The apparatus of claim 17 , further comprising a fixed Fabry-Perot etalon configured to calibrate the tunable Fabry-Perot etalon.
21 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a diffuse reflectance surface to calibrate the spectroscopic detector.
22 . A method of using the apparatus of claim 1 as a screening device, the method comprising controlling access based on the analysis of the substance being above a predetermined concentration.
23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the substance is alcohol.
24 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the controlling access is for controlling patron access to alcohol in public establishments.
25 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the controlling access is for controlling driver access to an automobile.
26 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the controlling access is for controlling operator access to heavy machinery or equipment.
27 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the controlling access is for controlling operator access to means of public transportation.
28 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the person is on probation.
29 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the person is an employee and the controlling access is for controlling access by the employee to his or her job.
30 . A method of non-invasive spectroscopic detection of a substance from the tissue of a person, the method comprising:
impinging electromagnetic radiation on a sampling region of the tissue of the person;
obtaining a diffuse reflectance signal from the tissue at the sampling region; and
spectroscopically analyzing the diffuse-reflectance signal for presence of the substance.
31 . The method of claim 30 , further comprising verifying the person's identity through a biometric sensor.
32 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the substance is alcohol and the method further comprises determining the blood alcohol concentration of the person.
33 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the electromagnetic radiation analyzed is in the wavelength range of about 2.1 microns to about 2.5 microns.
34 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the sampling region comprises the interstitial region between two adjacent fingers of the person.