Accessories for handheld spectrometer

Abstract

A handheld spectrometer apparatus may comprise an accessory coupled to a spectrometer, where the accessory is configured to receive a liquid sample pipette to facilitate measurement, using the spectrometer, of a liquid sample within the pipette. A handheld spectrometer apparatus to measure a body lumen of a subject can include an illumination unit, a spectrometer unit, a housing containing the illumination unit and the spectrometer unit and an accessory comprising a plurality of optical fibers. The optical fibers can be configured to guide light from the illumination unit to the body lumen and back from the body lumen to the spectrometer unit.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A sample container accessory for a handheld spectrometer, the sample container accessory comprising:
 a housing comprising a cavity to receive a solid sample therein;   one or more engagement structures to couple the housing to a first end of a handheld spectrometer, the first end of the handheld spectrometer comprising an optical module having a light source and a sensor array; and   a structure disposed within the cavity and shaped and sized to receive a solid sample in a fixed position and orientation with respect to the light source and the sensor array.   
     
     
         3 . The sample container accessory of  claim 2 , wherein the housing comprises a non-optically transmissive material configured to inhibit interference from ambient light when the sample container accessory is coupled to the handheld spectrometer. 
     
     
         4 . The sample container accessory of  claim 2 , wherein the structure comprises an insert sized and shaped to fit within the cavity. 
     
     
         5 . The sample container accessory of  claim 2 , wherein the structure comprises one or more of a depression, an indentation, a groove, a ridge, or a hole. 
     
     
         6 . The sample container accessory of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more engagement structures comprise one or more of a protrusion, a rim, a flange, a recess, or a magnet. 
     
     
         7 . The sample container accessory of  claim 2 , wherein an inner bottom surface of the structure disposed behind the solid sample comprises a reflective material. 
     
     
         8 . The sample container accessory of  claim 7 , wherein the structure is arranged to place the reflective material at a fixed distance from the light source and the sensor array when the handheld spectrometer is coupled to the sample container accessory. 
     
     
         9 . The sample container accessory of  claim 7 , wherein the reflective material comprises a diffuse reflective material. 
     
     
         10 . The sample container accessory of  claim 7 , wherein the reflective material comprises a specular reflective material. 
     
     
         11 . The sample container accessory of  claim 7 , wherein one or more inner side surfaces of the structure adjacent to the inner bottom surface comprise a second reflective material to reflect light energy from the light source toward the inner bottom surface. 
     
     
         12 . The sample container accessory of  claim 7 , wherein one or more inner side surfaces of the structure adjacent to the inner bottom surface comprise a light-absorbing material to absorb light energy from the light source. 
     
     
         13 . The sample container accessory of  claim 7 , wherein the reflective material comprises a substantially constant reflectivity. 
     
     
         14 . The sample container accessory of  claim 13 , wherein the substantially constant reflectivity comprises a reflectivity fixed to within about 1% for a constant wavelength. 
     
     
         15 . The sample container accessory of  claim 13 , wherein the substantially constant reflectivity comprises a reflectivity fixed to within 1% for a range of wavelengths, wherein the range comprises at least about 250 nm. 
     
     
         16 . The sample container accessory of  claim 13 , wherein the substantially constant reflectivity comprises a variable amount of reflectivity over a range of wavelengths. 
     
     
         17 . The sample container accessory of  claim 16 , wherein the amount of variable reflectivity comprises no more than about 10% over a range of about 250 nm. 
     
     
         18 . The sample container accessory of  claim 2 , wherein the structure is sized and shaped to receive a pill. 
     
     
         19 . A method for measuring a sample spectrum of a solid sample, the method comprising:
 placing a solid sample within a structure disposed in a cavity of a sample container accessory, the structure configured to receive the solid sample at a fixed position and orientation;   coupling a handheld spectrometer to the sample container accessory by engaging one or more engagement structures at a first end of the handheld spectrometer with one or more corresponding engagement structures of the sample container accessory, wherein the first end of the handheld spectrometer comprises a light source and a sensor array;   measuring the solid sample with the handheld spectrometer while the sample container accessory is coupled to the handheld spectrometer; and   generating the sample spectrum of the solid sample in response to measurement data.