Analyte spatial detection systems and methods
Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods to provide reliable analyte spatial detection systems. An analyte spatial detection system includes an imaging module, a visible light projector, associated processing and control electronics, and, optionally, orientation and/or position sensors integrated with the imaging module and/or the visible light projector. The imaging module includes sensor elements configured to detect electromagnetic radiation in one or more selected spectrums, such as infrared, visible light, and/or other spectrums. The visible light projector includes one or more types of projectors configured project visible light within a spatial volume monitored by the imaging module. The system may be partially or completely portable and/or fixed in place. The visible light projector is used to indicate presence of a detected analyte on a surface near or adjoining the spatial position of the detected analyte.
1. A system comprising:
an imaging module configured to image a spatial volume for electromagnetic radiation in at least one selected spectrum;
a visible light projector configured to generate visible light and project it within the spatial volume;
one or more position and/or orientation sensors configured to measure respective positions and/or orientations of the imaging module and/or the visible light projector; and
a logic device configured to communicate with the imaging module and the visible light projector, wherein the logic device is configured to:
receive the respective positions and/or orientations of the imaging module and/or the visible light projector from the position and/or orientation sensors;
receive image data corresponding to the spatial volume from the imaging module;
process the received image data to detect a presence and spatial extents of an analyte within the spatial volume; and
control the visible light projector to project an analyte indicator on a surface within the spatial volume so as to account for the respective positions and/or orientations of the imaging module and/or the visible light projector, wherein the projected analyte indicator is configured to indicate the spatial extents of the analyte.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one selected spectrum comprises infrared;
the surface comprises an object surface within the spatial volume and/or an analyte surface of the analyte;
the analyte indicator is configured to indicate a physical property of the analyte within the spatial extents of the analyte and/or a method for decontaminating the spatial volume of the analyte; and
the physical property of the analyte comprises a temperature, a composition, a chemical class, and/or a toxicity of the analyte.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one selected spectrum comprises visible light; and
the logic device is configured to:
receive image data corresponding to the projected analyte indicator;
compare spatial extents of the projected analyte indicator to the spatial extents of the of the analyte; and
determine a compensation calibration to correct errors between the spatial extents of the projected analyte indicator and the spatial extents of the analyte.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the visible light projector comprises a scanning light projector; and
the projected analyte indicator comprises a perimeter of the spatial extents of the analyte, a caution indicator, and/or a textual indicator.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the visible light projector comprises a digital projector; and
the projected analyte indicator comprises an intensity and/or false color graph.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the imaging module and the visible light projector form a monolithic installation such that positions and/or orientations of the imaging module and the visible light projector are fixed relative to the spatial volume; and
the analyte comprises a solid, liquid, or gas disposed within the spatial volume.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the imaging module and the visible light projector form a distributed installation such that the respective positions and/or orientations of the imaging module and the visible light projector are variable relative to each other.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the imaging module and the visible light projector form a monolithic installation such that the respective positions and/or orientations of the imaging module and the visible light projector are fixed relative to each other and variable relative to the spatial volume; and
the logic device is configured to:
control the visible light projector to project the analyte indicator on the surface so as to account for the respective positions and/or orientations of the imaging module and the visible light projector relative to the spatial volume.
9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a communication module, wherein:
the analyte comprises water, gasoline, coolant, oil, an acid, cooking gas, nitrogen, oxygen, a human-poisonous gas, an explosive, a chemical weapon, an oxidizer, and/or a toxic industrial chemical; and
the logic device is configured to control the communication module to transmit an electronic notification to a user interface indicating the presence, composition, and/or temperature of the detected analyte.
10. An array of the system of claim 1 , wherein:
each system further comprises a respective communication module;
each imaging module of the array of systems comprises one or more microbolometers, thermopiles, quantum well infrared photodetectors, InGaAs based photodetectors, HgCdTe based photodetectors, imaging Raman spectrometer assemblies, complementary metal-oxide semiconductor sensors, near infrared sensors, silicon photomultipliers, hyperspectral imagers, and/or multispectral imagers; and
each logic device is configured to control the respective communication module to communicate with the array to coordinate monitoring multiple differentiated spatial volumes substantially simultaneously.
11. A method comprising:
receiving image data corresponding to a spatial volume imaged by an imaging module;
receiving respective positions and/or orientations of the imaging module and/or a visible light projector configured to generate visible light and project it within the spatial volume from one or more position and/or orientation sensors configured to measure respective positions and/or orientations of the imaging module and/or the visible light projector;
processing the received image data to detect a presence and spatial extents of an analyte within the spatial volume; and
projecting an analyte indicator on a surface within the spatial volume so as to account for the respective positions and/or orientations of the imaging module and/or the visible light projector, wherein the analyte indicator is configured to indicate the spatial extents of the analyte.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
at least one selected spectrum for the imaging module comprises infrared; and
the surface comprises an object surface within the spatial volume and/or an analyte surface of the detected analyte;
the analyte indicator is configured to indicate a physical property of the analyte within the spatial extents of the analyte and/or a method for decontaminating the spatial volume of the analyte; and
the physical property of the analyte comprises a temperature, a composition, a chemical class, and/or a toxicity of the analyte.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
at least one selected spectrum comprises visible light; and
the method further comprises:
receiving image data corresponding to the projected analyte indicator;
comparing spatial extents of the projected analyte indicator to the spatial extents of the of the analyte; and
determining a compensation calibration to correct errors between the spatial extents of the projected analyte indicator and the spatial extents of the of the analyte.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the projected analyte indicator comprises a perimeter of the spatial extents of the analyte, a caution indicator, and/or a textual indicator.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the projected analyte indicator comprises an intensity and/or false color graph.
16. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the imaging module and a visible light projector projecting the analyte indicator form a monolithic installation such that positions and/or orientations of the imaging module and the visible light projector are fixed relative to the spatial volume; and
the analyte comprises a solid, liquid, or gas disposed within the spatial volume.
17. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the imaging module and the visible light projector projecting the analyte indicator form a distributed installation such that respective positions and/or orientations of the imaging module and the visible light projector are variable relative to each other.
18. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the imaging module and a visible light projector projecting the analyte indicator form a monolithic installation such that respective positions and/or orientations of the imaging module and the visible light projector are fixed relative to each other and variable relative to the spatial volume; and
the method further comprises:
controlling the visible light projector to project the analyte indicator on the surface so as to account for the respective positions and/or orientations of the imaging module and the visible light projector relative to the spatial volume.
19. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the analyte comprises water, gasoline, coolant, oil, an acid, cooking gas, nitrogen, oxygen, a human-poisonous gas, an explosive, a chemical weapon, an oxidizer, and/or a toxic industrial chemical; and
the method further comprises controlling the communication module to transmit an electronic notification to a user interface indicating the presence, composition, and/or temperature of the detected analyte.
20. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
controlling a communication module to communicate with an array of analyte spacial detection systems to coordinate monitoring multiple differentiated spatial volumes substantially simultaneously.