Systems and methods for measuring mechanical properties of deformable materials
US9693728B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignees
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 29, 2011 |
| Grant date | Jul 4, 2017 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 18, 2033 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B5/4552
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Systems and methods deform the surface of the material with a probe, such as a mechanical device or a gas/liquid jet, while optically recording in detail the three-dimensional (3D) topography of the resulting surface deformation. The probe effectively applies a forcing function to the material, the attributes of which are known by performing calibrations prior to use or by direct measurement while it is applied. The topography is effectively the system output that is measured as indicative of the underlying mechanical properties of the material. In one application, systems and methods that apply a pressure in-vivo to human tissue and analyze a three-dimensional topography of the resulting surface deformation to identify localized inhomogeneities and anomalies in the human tissue.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.