Cellscope apparatus and methods for imaging
An improved system and methods for enhancing the imaging of cameras included with wireless mobile devices, such as cellular phone or tablets. The imaging system includes a releasable optical attachment for imaging skin surfaces and cavities of the body. The releasable optical attachment comprises optical enhancement elements such as magnifying lenses, illumination diverting elements, and filters. Images can be viewed and analyzed on the mobile device, or transmitted to another location/device for analysis by a person or software. The results can be used to provide diagnosis, or for a variety of other applications including image comparison over time and product recommendations.
1. A modular imaging apparatus for a portable wireless device having a built-in camera, the apparatus comprising:
a modular base member configured to be removably coupled to the portable wireless device having the built-in camera and an illumination source; and
a releasable optical assembly, the releasable optical assembly comprising:
a housing;
the housing comprising an attachment surface for releasably coupling the releasable optical assembly to the modular base member, and an optical tube having a central aperture, wherein the optical tube is attached to the housing such that the central aperture is aligned with the optical path when the releasable optical assembly is attached to the portable wireless device, the optical tube having a free end extending away from the housing and built-in-camera; and
an optical transmission element;
wherein the optical transmission element is configured to modify the image taken by the built-in camera of the portable wireless device;
wherein the optical transmission element comprises a first optical transmission element that comprises a lens configured to magnify the image and a second optical transmission element that comprises a bundle of optical fiber that is configured to alter an illumination path of the image to enhance illumination of the image, the bundle of optical fibers extending from a location at or near the illumination source to the optical tube and axially along the optical tube toward the free end of the tube to form a coaxial layer at least partially surrounding the optical tube, wherein the optical fibers are configured to propagate light from the illumination source in the direction of the free end of the optical tube; and
wherein the housing is configured to house the lens in an alignment within an optical path of the built-in camera through an imaging port in the modular base, and to house the optical fiber in an alignment within the illumination path of the illumination source through an optical port in the modular base.
2. An imaging apparatus as recited in claim 1 :
the releasable optical assembly further comprising one or more optical filters coupled to the housing; and
the housing configured to house the one or more optical filters in an alignment within the one or more of the illumination path or optical path.
3. An imaging apparatus as recited in claim 2 , wherein the one or more optical filters comprises a filter comprising one or more of a: polarizer, neutral density filter, aperture, or spectral selection filter.
4. An imaging apparatus as recited in claim 2 , wherein the one or more optical filters comprises:
a first filter having a fixed orientation;
a second filter having a variable orientation to allow for adjustment of transmission of light;
wherein the first and second filters are stacked in series in one or more of the illumination path and optical path.
5. An imaging apparatus as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
a speculum configured to interface with a body cavity of a patient;
the speculum having a proximal end and distal free end;
said speculum comprising a conical shape that tapers from the proximal end to the free end;
the proximal end of the speculum configured to releasably attach to the housing of the releasable optical assembly.
6. An imaging apparatus as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
a calibration module attached to said housing;
the calibration module being disposed in a field of view of the optical path to provide calibration of the built in camera.
7. An imaging apparatus as recited in claim 1 , further wherein the modular base member comprises an attachment surface for coupling the modular base member to the wireless device; and wherein the modular base member comprises at least one imaging port configured to align with the built-in camera of the portable wireless device and an optical port configured to align with an illumination source on the portable wireless device to provide an imaging path and an optical path for imaging and illumination through the modular base member.
8. A modular system for enhancing and post-processing images obtained from a portable wireless device having a built-in camera, comprising:
a modular base member configured to be removably coupled to the portable wireless device having the built-in camera and an illumination source;
a releasable optical assembly, comprising:
a housing;
the housing comprising an attachment surface for releasably coupling the releasable optical assembly to the modular base member, and an optical tube having a central aperture, wherein the optical tube is attached to the housing such that the central aperture is aligned with an optical path when the releasable optical assembly is attached to the modular base member, the optical tube having a free end extending away from the housing and built-in-camera, further wherein the optical tube comprises a bundle of optical fibers extending from a location at or near the illumination source and axially along the optical tube toward the free end of the tube to form a coaxial layer at least partially surrounding the optical tube, wherein the optical fibers are configured to propagate light from the illumination source in the direction of the free end of the optical tube; and
an optical transmission element; wherein the optical transmission element is configured to enhance an image taken by the built-in camera prior to the image being received the portable wireless device and comprises a first optical transmission element comprising a lens configured to magnify the image and a second optical transmission element comprising an optical fiber configured to alter an illumination path to enhance illumination of the image,
wherein the housing is configured to house the lens in an alignment within an optical path of the built-in camera through an imaging port in the modular base and to house the optical fiber in an alignment within the illumination path of the illumination source through an optical port in the modular base; and
programming executable on said wireless device or other external device for:
receiving the enhanced image; and
post processing the enhanced image.
9. A system as recited in claim 8 , wherein post processing comprises image normalization.
10. A system as recited in claim 9 , wherein image normalization comprises: calculating one or more of exposure and focus characteristics with a known feature; and adjusting the image based on reference data from the image.
11. A system as recited in claim 8 , wherein said programming is further configured for calibrating said built in camera as a function of optical characteristics releasable optical assembly.
12. A system as recited in claim 10 , wherein said programming is further configured for: inputting data from the normalized image along with other image data; and comparing the data from the normalized image with the other image data to analyze said image.
13. A system as recited in claim 12 , wherein the other image data comprises images from similar images to the normalized image.
14. A system as recited in claim 13 , wherein the normalized image comprises an image of a person's skin; and wherein the other image data comprises skin images from patients having similar skin characteristics.
15. A system as recited in claim 12 , wherein said programming is further configured for: transmitting said image to a secondary device to perform post processing.
16. A system as recited in claim 8 :
the releasable optical assembly further comprising one or more optical filters coupled to the housing; and
the housing configured to house the one or more optical filters in an alignment within the one or more of the illumination path or optical path.
17. A system as recited in claim 16 , wherein the one or more optical filters comprises a filter comprising one or more of a: polarizer, neutral density filter, aperture, or spectral selection filter.
18. A system as recited in claim 8 , further comprising:
a speculum configured to interface with a body cavity of a patient; the speculum having a proximal end and distal free end;
said speculum comprising a conical shape that tapers from the proximal end to the free end;
the proximal end of the speculum configured to releasably attach to the housing.
19. An imaging apparatus as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a light source.
20. A system as recited in claim 13 , wherein the normalized image comprises an image of a person's eardrum; and wherein the other image data comprises images from patients having similar eardrum characteristics.
21. A modular imaging apparatus for a portable wireless device having a built-in camera, the apparatus comprising:
a modular base member configured to be removably coupled to the portable wireless device having the built-in camera and an illumination source; and
a releasable optical assembly, the releasable optical assembly comprising:
a housing;
the housing comprising an attachment surface for releasably coupling the releasable optical assembly to the modular base member; and
an optical transmission element;
wherein the optical transmission element is configured to modify the image taken by the built-in camera of the portable wireless device;
wherein the optical transmission element comprises a first optical transmission element that comprises a lens configured to magnify the image and a second optical transmission element that alters an illumination path of the image to enhance illumination of the image; and
a first and second optical filter coupled to the housing, the first optical filter having a fixed orientation, and the second optical filter having a variable orientation to allow for adjustment of transmission of light;
wherein the housing is configured to house the lens in an alignment within an optical path of the built-in camera through an imaging port in the modular base, and to house the second optical transmission element in an alignment within the illumination path of the illumination source through an optical port in the modular base, and to house the first and second optical filters stacked in series in one or more of the illumination path and optical path and in an alignment within one or more of the illumination path or optical path.
22. A modular system for enhancing and post-processing images obtained from a portable wireless device having a built-in camera, comprising:
a modular base member configured to be removably coupled to the portable wireless device having the built-in camera and an illumination source;
a releasable optical assembly, comprising:
a housing;
the housing comprising an attachment surface for releasably coupling the releasable optical assembly to the modular base member, and an optical tube, wherein the optical tube is attached to the housing such the optical tube is aligned with an optical path when the releasable optical assembly is attached to the modular base member, the optical tube having a free end extending away from the housing and built-in-camera; and
an optical transmission element;
wherein the optical transmission element is configured to enhance an image taken by the built-in camera prior to the image being received the portable wireless device and comprises a first optical transmission element comprising a lens configured to magnify the image and a second optical transmission element comprising an optical fiber configured to alter an illumination path to enhance illumination of the image;
a second optical transmission element extending from a location at or near the illumination source and axially along the optical tube toward the free end of the tube to form a coaxial layer at least partially surrounding the optical tube to propagate light from the illumination source in the direction of the free end of the optical tube,
wherein the housing is configured to house the lens in an alignment within an optical path of the built-in camera through an imaging port in the modular base and to house the optical fiber in an alignment within the illumination path of the illumination source through an optical port in the modular base; and
programming executable on said wireless device or other external device for:
receiving the enhanced image; and
post processing the enhanced image.