Abstract: This invention discloses a reconfigurable cold plasma therapy device with enhanced safety. The plasma therapy device comprises a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) probe connected to a high voltage power supply, which supplies a high voltage to the DBD probe. The DBD probe comprises a handle having a designated handling area for the operator, whose material and thickness are selected such that when the high voltage is supplied to the DBD probe, the voltage charged onto the body of the operator is below a safety voltage. The low voltage prevents spark generation even when the operator is in close proximity to conductive subjects. As an additional feature, the dielectric barrier of the DBD probe is switchable, allowing both the material and the thickness of the dielectric barrier to be changed to control the property of the plasma discharge for treating different medical conditions.

Abstract: This invention discloses a DBD plasma therapy device with replaceable dielectric barrier for treating different patients with different medical conditions. The plasma therapy device is equipped with a variety of dielectric barriers. The dielectric barriers may have different electrical characteristics (which are determined by their materials as well as physical dimensions and shapes) to adapt for the treatment of different types of biological tissues. The dielectric barrier of the plasma therapy device can be replaced to avoid contamination and cross-infection. As an additional feature, the plasma device further comprises an optical sensor, such as a spectroscopic sensor, for monitoring the emission spectrum of the plasma discharge. The emission spectrum can be utilized to analyze the composition of the reactive species generated by the plasma discharge and provide feedback control to the plasma therapy device.

Abstract: This invention discloses a method for material identification by analyzing the LIBS spectrum of the sample. The LIBS spectrum is pre-processed to equalize the contribution of elements with strong and weak emission lines. In the meantime, the number of spectral variables is reduced to enhance the specificity and minimize the influence of instrument noise. Commonly used spectrum identification and library search algorithms are then applied to the pre-processed LIBS spectrum for material identification.

Abstract: There is provided a phototherapy apparatus, in which the therapeutic light is delivered through one or more massage components. The massage component provides mechanical massage to the subject biological tissue and modifies the properties of the subject tissue in thickness, density, etc. to facilitate the absorption of the therapeutic light and enhance the effect of the phototherapy procedure. The light source of the phototherapy apparatus is actively cooled by a synthetic jet cooler.

Abstract: A phototherapy apparatus with interactive user interface for treating biological tissue of an animal or human target. The user interface comprises intuitive graphic menus which allow the clinicians or practitioners to define the properties of the biological tissue through easily observable physical characteristics such as weight, skin color, and hair color of the patient. The central control unit of the phototherapy apparatus then automatically optimizes the parameters of the light source according to the properties of the biological tissue and generates an appropriate treatment protocol to produce the optimum phototherapy result.

Abstract: There is provided a phototherapy apparatus, in which the therapeutic light is delivered through or in proximity to one or more massage components. The massage component provides mechanical massage to the subject biological tissue and modifies the properties of the subject tissue in thickness, density, etc. to facilitate the absorption of the therapeutic light and enhance the effect of the phototherapy procedure.

Abstract: The photo therapy apparatus of the present invention comprises one or more light sources which are integrated with a breast pump for providing photo therapy treatment to the breast and nipple of women during pumping of breast milk. The light sources can be lasers, light emitting diodes (LEDs), lamps, or any other types of light sources which produce therapeutic light in a desired wavelength range. The therapeutic light is delivered through the breast-shield or flange of the breast pump to the breast and nipple and produces a variety of photochemical processes, e.g. increase of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), triggering of photo neurological response and activation of enzymes, changes in local pressure, increases in temperature, and deformation of cellular membranes. Such photochemical reaction helps to reduce pain and promote healing of nipple lesion and in the meantime enhance yield of breast milk.

Abstract: A phototherapy apparatus with interactive user interface for treating biological tissue of an animal or human target. The user interface comprises intuitive graphic menus which allow the clinicians or practitioners to define the properties of the biological tissue through easily observable physical characteristics such as weight, skin color, and hair color of the patient. The central control unit of the phototherapy apparatus then automatically optimizes the parameters of the light source according to the properties of the biological tissue and generates an appropriate treatment protocol to produce the optimum phototherapy result.

Abstract: This invention relates to a light delivery and collection device for performing spectroscopic analysis of a subject. The light delivery and collection device comprises a reflective cavity with two apertures. The first aperture is configured to receive excitation light which then diverges and projects onto the second aperture. The second aperture is configured to be applied close to the subject such that the reflective cavity substantially forms an enclosure covering a large area of the subject. The excitation light enters and interacts with the covered area of the subject to produce inelastic scattering and/or fluorescence emission from the subject. The reflective cavity has a specular reflective surface with high reflectivity to the excitation light as well as to the inelastic scattering and/or fluorescence emission from the subject. The reflective cavity reflects the excitation light that is reflected and/or back-scattered from the subject and redirects it towards the subject.

Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus and method for performing bidirectional Raman spectroscopy of a sample, preferably a diffusely scattering sample, in which two excitation light sources are employed to illuminate the sample from two opposite directions to excite Raman scattering signal from the sample. The Raman scattering signal which transmits through the sample are collected by two optical devices each positioned on the opposite side of the sample to obtain two transmission Raman spectra of the sample, which enables the accurate determination of the composition of the whole sample.

Abstract: This invention relates to a light delivery and collection device for measuring Raman scattering from a large area of a sample. The light delivery and collection device comprises a reflective cavity made of a material or having a surface coating with high reflectivity to the excitation light and the Raman scattered light. The reflective cavity has two apertures. The first aperture is configured to receive the excitation light which then projects onto the second aperture. The second aperture is configured to be applied close to the sample such that the reflective cavity substantially forms an enclosure covering a large area of the sample. The excitation light produces Raman scattered light from the covered area of the sample. The reflective cavity reflects any excitation light and Raman light scattered from the sample unless the excitation light and the Raman scattered light either emit from the first aperture to be measured with a spectrometer device, or are re-scattered by the sample at the second aperture.

Abstract: This invention relates to a light delivery and collection device for measuring Raman scattering from a large area of a sample. The light delivery and collection device comprises a reflective cavity made of a material or having a surface coating with high reflectivity to the excitation light and the Raman scattered light. The reflective cavity has two apertures. The first aperture is configured to receive the excitation light which then projects onto the second aperture. The second aperture is configured to be applied close to the sample such that the reflective cavity substantially forms an enclosure covering a large area of the sample. The excitation light produces Raman scattered light from the covered area of the sample. The reflective cavity reflects any excitation light and Raman light scattered from the sample unless the excitation light and the Raman scattered light either emit from the first aperture to be measured with a spectrometer device, or are re-scattered by the sample at the second aperture.

Abstract: This invention discloses a Reverse Intensity Correction method for spectral library search to correct for instrument response without the side effect of magnifying the noise in the low responsivity region of test spectra. Instead of applying relative intensity correction to the sample test spectra to match the standardized library spectra, a reverse intensity correction is applied to the standardized library spectra to match the uncorrected sample spectrum. This simple procedural change improves library search performance, especially for dispersive CCD Raman analyzers using NIR excitations, where the instrument response often varies greatly across the spectral range, and SNR in the low responsivity regions is typically poor.

Abstract: This invention discloses an improved laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) apparatus and method for the detection of mineral and metal contamination in liquid samples. The mineral and metal contaminant is first collected by filtering the liquid sample with a membrane filter. The membrane filter with the mineral and metal contaminant is then measured by a LIBS apparatus. The LIBS apparatus is based on a high repetition rate pulsed laser. The laser produces a train of laser pulses at a high repetition rate in the kHz (or even higher) range. When the laser beam hits the surface of the membrane filter, it generates several thousands of micro-plasma emissions per second. Synchronized miniature CCD array optical spectrometer modules collect the LIBS signal from these micro-plasma emissions. By adjusting the integration time of the spectrometer to cover a plurality of periods of the laser pulse train, the spectrometer integrates the LIBS signal produced by this plurality of laser pulses.

Abstract: This invention discloses a laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) apparatus based on high repetition rate pulsed laser. The laser produces a train of laser pulses at a high repetition rate in the kHz (or even higher) range. When the laser beam hits the biological sample, it generates several thousands of micro-plasmas per second. Synchronized miniature CCD array optical spectrometer modules collect the LIBS signal from these micro-plasmas. By adjusting the integration time of the spectrometer to cover a plurality of periods of the laser pulse train, the spectrometer integrates the LIBS signal produced by this plurality of laser pulses. Hence the intensity of the obtained LIBS spectrum can be greatly improved to increase the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and lower the level of detection (LOD).

Abstract: This invention discloses a laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) apparatus based on a high repetition rate pulsed laser. The laser produces a train of laser pulses at a high repetition rate in the kHz or even higher range. When the laser beam hits the sample, it generates several thousands of micro-plasmas per second. Synchronized miniature CCD array optical spectrometer modules collect the LIBS signal from these micro-plasmas. By adjusting the integration time of the spectrometer to cover a plurality of periods of the laser pulse train, the spectrometer integrates the LIBS signal produced by this plurality of laser pulses. Hence the intensity of the obtained LIBS spectrum can be greatly improved to increase the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and lower the limit of detection (LOD). In addition, the influence of pulse to pulse variation of the laser is minimized since the obtained LIBS spectrum is the spectrum of a plurality of micro-plasmas produced by a plurality of laser pulses.

Abstract: This invention discloses a laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) apparatus with automatic wavelength calibration. The LIBS apparatus comprises a database of pre-obtained LIBS spectra of standard calibration samples. When the LIBS spectrum of a target sample is acquired, a processor unit calculates a cross correlation between the LIBS spectrum of the calibration sample and the spectrum of the target sample in reference to a possible wavelength shift between the two spectra. The exact wavelength shift between the two spectra is found where the cross correlation reaches a maximum value. The wavelength shift of the target spectrum is then corrected through an interpolation procedure and the wavelength shift corrected spectrum is analyzed to obtain the composition information of the target sample.

Abstract: This invention discloses a laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) apparatus based on a high repetition rate pulsed laser. The laser produces a train of laser pulses at a high repetition rate in the kHz or even higher range. When the laser beam hits the sample, it generates several thousands of micro-plasma emissions per second. Synchronized miniature CCD array optical spectrometer modules collect the LIBS signal from these micro-plasma emissions. By adjusting the integration time of the spectrometer to cover a plurality of periods of the laser pulse train, the spectrometer integrates the LIBS signal produced by this plurality of laser pulses. Hence the intensity of the obtained LIBS spectrum can be greatly improved to increase the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and lower the limit of detection (LOD).

Abstract: A phototherapy apparatus with interactive user interface for treating biological tissue of an animal or human target. The user interface comprises intuitive graphic menus which allow the clinicians or practitioners to define the properties of the biological tissue through easily observable physical characteristics such as weight, skin color, and hair color of the patient. The central control unit of the phototherapy apparatus then automatically optimizes the parameters of the light source according to the properties of the biological tissue and generates an appropriate treatment protocol to produce the optimum phototherapy result.

Abstract: This invention discloses a compact laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) apparatus suitable for field operations. The LIBS apparatus comprises a Q-switched laser with laser pulse energy between several tens and several thousands of micro joules (?J), which is significantly lower than that of traditional LIBS lasers. The spectrograph of the LIBS apparatus employs a dual CCD (charge coupled device) design, which maintains compact size and in the meantime offers large spectral coverage and high spectral resolution.