Abstract: A near IR spectrometer-based analyzer attaches continuously or semi-continuously to a human subject and collects spectral measurements for determining a biological parameter in the sampled tissue, such as glucose concentration. The analyzer includes an optical system optimized to target the cutaneous layer of the sampled tissue so that interference from the adipose layer is minimized. The optical system includes at least one optical probe. Spacing between optical paths and detection fibers of each probe and between probes is optimized to minimize sampling of the adipose subcutaneous layer and to maximize collection of light backscattered from the cutaneous layer. Penetration depth is optimized by limiting range of distances between paths and detection fibers. Minimizing sampling of the adipose layer greatly reduces interference contributed by the fat band in the sample spectrum, increasing signal-to-noise ratio.

Abstract: An optical sampling interface system minimizes and compensates error resulting from sampling variations and measurement site state fluctuations. Components include: An optical probe placement guide having an aperture wherein the optical probe is received, facilitates repeatable placement accuracy on surface of a tissue measurement site with minimal, repeatable disturbance to surface tissue. The aperture creates a tissue meniscus that minimizes interference due to surface irregularities and controls variation in tissue volume sampled; an occlusive element placed over the tissue meniscus isolates the meniscus from environmental fluctuations, stabilizing hydration at the site and thus, surface tension; an optical coupling medium eliminates air gaps between skin surface and optical probe; a bias correction element applies a bias correction to spectral measurements, and associated analyte measurements. When the guide is replaced, a new bias correction is determined for measurements done with the new placement.

Abstract: An optical sampling interface system minimizes and compensates error resulting from sampling variations and measurement site state fluctuations. Components include: An optical probe placement guide having an aperture wherein the optical probe is received, facilitates repeatable placement accuracy on surface of a tissue measurement site with minimal, repeatable disturbance to surface tissue. The aperture creates a tissue meniscus that minimizes interference due to surface irregularities and controls variation in tissue volume sampled; an occlusive element placed over the tissue meniscus isolates the meniscus from environmental fluctuations, stabilizing hydration at the site and thus, surface tension; an optical coupling medium eliminates air gaps between skin surface and optical probe; a bias correction element applies a bias correction to spectral measurements, and associated analyte measurements. When the guide is replaced, a new bias correction is determined for measurements done with the new placement.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for calibrating noninvasive or implantable glucose analyzers that uses either alternative invasive glucose determinations or noninvasive glucose determinations to calibrate noninvasive or implantable glucose analyzers. Use of an alternative invasive or noninvasive glucose determination in the calibration allows minimization of errors due to sampling methodology, and spatial and temporal variations that are built into the calibration model. An additional embodiment uses statistical correlations between noninvasive and alternative invasive glucose determinations and traditional invasive glucose determinations to adjust noninvasive or alternative invasive glucose concentrations to traditional invasive glucose concentrations. The invention provides a means for calibrating on the basis of glucose determinations that reflect the matrix observed and the variable measured by the analyzer more closely.

Abstract: The invention involves the monitoring of a biological parameter through a compact analyzer. The preferred apparatus is a spectrometer based system that is attached continuously or semi-continuously to a human subject and collects spectral measurements that are used to determine a biological parameter in the sampled tissue. The preferred target analyze is glucose. The preferred analyzer is a near-IR based glucose analyzer for determining the glucose concentration in the body.

Abstract: Spectrometer instruments are characterized by classifying their spectra into previously defined clusters. The spectra are mapped to the clusters and a classification is made based on similarity of extracted spectral features to one of the previously defined clusters. Calibration models for each cluster are provided to compensate for instrumental variation. Calibration models are provided either by transferring a master calibration to slave calibrations or by calculating a separate calibration for each cluster. In one embodiment, a simplified method of calibration transfer maps clusters to each other, so that a calibration transferred between clusters models only the difference between the two clusters, substantially reducing the complexity of the model.

Abstract: Methods and system for noninvasive determination of tissue analytes utilize tissue properties as reflected in key features of an analytical signal to improve measurement accuracy and precision. Physiological conditions such as changes in water distribution among tissue compartments lead to complex alterations in the measured analytical signal of skin, leading to a biased noninvasive analyte measurement. Changes in the tissue properties are detected by identifying key features in the analytical signal responsive to physiological variations. Conditions not conducive to the noninvasive measurement are detected. Noninvasive measurements that are biased by physiological changes in tissue are compensated. In an alternate embodiment, the analyte is measured indirectly based on natural physiological response of tissue to changes in analyte concentration. A system capable of such measurements is provided.

Abstract: A magnetic field based mechanical apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus is based on coupled attracting or opposing magnets in conjunction with the insertion or removal of a magnetic field modifier. In the preferred embodiment, two repelling magnets are drawn together with the insertion of a magnetic field modifier. The field modifier may be another magnet having an opposing pole. Removal of the field modifier returns the forces to their original states. This oscillating motion may be driven with a low energy and/or small power supply. The resulting motion of the opposing magnets can drive mechanical system such as a linear, gear, ratchet, or reciprocating drive.

Abstract: A solution for reducing interference in noninvasive spectroscopic measurements of tissue and blood analytes is provided. By applying a basis set representing various tissue components to a collected sample measurement, measurement interferences resulting from the heterogeneity of tissue, sampling site differences, patient-to-patient variation, physiological variation, and instrumental differences are reduced. Consequently, the transformed sample measurements are more suitable for developing calibrations that are robust with respect to sample-to-sample variation, variation through time, and instrument related differences. In the calibration phase, data associated with a particular tissue sample site is corrected using a selected subset of data within the same data set. This method reduces the complexity of the data and reduces the intra-subject, inter-subject, and inter-instrument variations by removing interference specific to the respective data subset.

Abstract: Methods for calibrating noninvasive or implantable glucose analyzers utilize either alternative invasive glucose determinations or noninvasive glucose determinations for calibrating noninvasive or implantable glucose analyzers. Use of an alternative invasive or noninvasive glucose determination in the calibration allows minimization of errors due to sampling methodology, and spatial and temporal variation that are built into the calibration model. An additional method uses statistical correlations between noninvasive and alternative invasive glucose determinations and traditional invasive glucose determinations to adjust noninvasive or alternative invasive glucose concentrations to traditional invasive glucose concentrations. The methods provide a means for calibrating on the basis of glucose determinations that reflect the matrix observed and the variable measured by the analyzer more closely.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for noninvasive determination of blood analytes, such as glucose, through NIR spectroscopy utilize optical properties of tissue as reflected in key spectroscopic features to improve measurement accuracy and precision. Physiological conditions such as changes in water distribution among tissue compartments lead to complex alterations in the measured absorbance spectrum of skin and reflect a modification in the effective pathlength of light, leading to a biased noninvasive glucose measurement. Changes in the optical properties of tissue are detected by identifying key features responsive to physiological variations. Conditions not conducive to noninvasive measurement of glucose are detected. Noninvasive glucose measurements that are biased by physiological changes in tissue are compensated. In an alternate embodiment, glucose is measured indirectly based on natural physiological response of tissue to glucose concentration. A spectroscopic device capable of such measurements is provided.

Abstract: A ceramic reference in conjunction with a spectrometer, a metallized ceramic material, and a method of utilizing a ceramic material as a reference in the ultraviolet, visible, near-infrared, or infrared spectral regions are presented. The preferred embodiments utilize a ceramic reference material to diffusely reflect incident source light toward a detector element for quantification in a reproducible fashion. Alternative embodiments metallize either the incident surface or back surface of to form a surface diffuse reflectance standard. Optional wavelength reference layers or protective layers may be added to the ceramic or to the metallized layer. The reference ceramic is used to provide a measure of optical signal of an analyzer as a function of the analyzers spatial, temporal, and environmental state.

Abstract: A process for enhancing a multivariate calibration through optimization of a calibration data set operates on a large calibration set of samples that includes measurements and associated reference values to automatically select an optimal sub-set of samples that enables calculation of an optimized calibration model. The process is automatic and bases sample selection on two basic criteria: enhancement of correlation between a partner variable extracted from the independent variable and the dependent variable and reduction of correlation between the dependent variable and interference. The method includes two fundamental steps: evaluation, assigning a measurement of calibration suitability to a subset of data; and optimization, selecting an optimal subset of data as directed by the measurement of suitability.

Abstract: A novel multivariate model for analysis of absorbance spectra allows for each wavelength or spectral region to be modeled with just enough factors to fully model the analytical signal without the incorporation of noise by using excess factors. Each wavelength or spectral region is modeled utilizing its own number of factors independently of other wavelengths or spectral regions. An iterative combinative PCR algorithm allows a different number of factors to be applied to different wavelengths. In an exemplary embodiment, a three-factor model is applied over a given spectral region. The residual of the three-factor model is calculated and used as the input for an additional five-factor model. Prior to the additional five factors being applied, some of the wavelengths are removed. This leads to a three-factor model over the first region and an eight-factor model over the second region.

Abstract: Spectrometer instruments are characterized by classifying their spectra into previously defined clusters. The spectra are mapped to the clusters and a classification is made based on similarity of extracted spectral features to one of the previously defined clusters. Calibration models for each cluster are provided to compensate for instrumental variation. Calibration models are provided either by transferring a master calibration to slave calibrations or by calculating a separate calibration for each cluster. A simplified method of calibration transfer maps clusters to each other, so that a calibration transferred between clusters models only the difference between the two clusters, substantially reducing the complexity of the model.

Abstract: A compact, lightweight instrument for non-invasive blood analyte determination employs a light source incorporating an assembly of LED's interconnected within a thermally stable substrate. A large diameter mixer couples the signal to a fiber optic probe for delivering the signal to a tissue measurement site. Back-diffused light is collected and dispersed across an array of photo detectors in a miniature spectrometer instrument. A high-speed DSP executes an algorithm for predicting concentration of a target analyte, which is output to a LCD display. Instrument control is by means of keypad or voice recognition. High conversion efficiency of the light source results in extremely low power dissipation and virtually no heat generation, making incorporation of the light source and the spectrometer into a single unit practicable. High-speed pulsing of the signal allows application of high-sensitivity, synchronous detection techniques.

Abstract: An intelligent system for detecting errors and determining failure modes operates on an absorbance spectrum of in vivo skin tissue. Application of the system results in improved prediction accuracy through rejection of invalid and poor samples. System components include a noninvasive blood glucose meter, such as a near IR spectrometer, an error detection system (EDS); a system for diagnosing and mitigating errors; and a reporting method. In the EDS, a pattern classification engine and hierarchy of levels analyzes, detects and diagnoses instrument, interface and sample errors manifested in the spectrum to determine suitability of an absorbance spectrum for blood glucose measurement. The final component of the system evaluates the error condition, diagnoses the specific mode of failure (if necessary) and reports actions to be taken. Sub-components and levels of the EDS can operate independently of the other system elements to the benefit of a noninvasive glucose measurement system.

Abstract: The invention provides a class of samples that model the human body. This family of samples is based upon emulsions of oil in water with lecithin acting as the emulsifier. These solutions that have varying particle sizes may be spiked with basis set components (albumin, urea and glucose) to simulate skin tissues further. The family of samples is such that other organic compounds such as collagen, elastin, globulin and bilirubin may be added, as can salts such as Na+, K+and Cl−. Layers of varying thickness with known index of refraction and particle size distributions may be generated using simple crosslinking reagents, such as collagen (gelatin). The resulting samples are flexible in each analyte's concentration and match the skin layers of the body in terms of the samples reduced scattering and absorption coefficients, &mgr;'s and &mgr;a. This family of samples is provided for use in the medical field where lasers and spectroscopy based analyzers are used in treatment of the body.