Fluorescence Microscope POC Detection With Magnetic Concentration
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional disease detection methods often result in delayed diagnosis due to the time required for disease components to replicate and spread, leading to potential complications and worsened maladies, as they are not capable of early-stage detection.
Innovation Solution
A point-of-care device utilizing an inexpensive fluorescence microscope coupled with a computing device to detect disease components using magnetic particles, which are tagged with fluorescent dye and drawn into a collection region for imaging, enabling rapid and accurate detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If traditional disease detection methods are used, then disease components can be detected, but detection is delayed until after initial infection and replication
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-tagging disease components with fluorescent markers before they replicate and spread in the body. The fluorescently tagged disease components are introduced into the patient's body, allowing detection immediately upon infection rather than waiting for replication. This resolves the contradiction by enabling early detection (reducing loss of time) while maintaining high sensitivity through the fluorescent tagging system.
2Measurement precision
If fluorescent dye and magnetic particles are used to tag disease components, then detection sensitivity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses magnetic particles as an intermediary between the fluorescent dye and the disease components. The magnetic particles are tagged with fluorescent dye and bind to disease components, serving as a mediator that amplifies the signal while simplifying detection. This resolves the contradiction by enabling high sensitivity detection through the magnetic-fluorescent intermediary system while using relatively simple imaging equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of disease components by attaching fluorescent markers and magnetic particles to them. This transforms undetectable disease components into highly detectable targets that emit fluorescent signals when excited by light. This parameter change enables high sensitivity detection while using straightforward fluorescence microscopy equipment rather than complex analytical instruments.
3Measurement precision
If magnetic field gradient is used to concentrate disease components, then detection accuracy is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical concentration methods with a magnetic field-based system. Magnetic particles tagged with fluorescent dye are used to concentrate disease components at the detection site through magnetic field gradients rather than mechanical means. This resolves the contradiction by enabling high detection accuracy through magnetic concentration while consuming relatively low energy compared to mechanical concentration systems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables early-stage, rapid, and low-cost detection of disease components, allowing for immediate treatment with reduced risk of complications and improved sensitivity over traditional methods.
Implementation Method 1
At least one magnet can be located next to the collection region to establish a magnetic field gradient to draw the tagged disease components into the collection region from the device
Implementation Method 2
The fluorescence microscope can use light to excite the fluorescent dye and a filter can transmit light emitted by the fluorescent dye to the fluorescence microscope
Data Source
AI summary
Early stage, rapid, low-cost detection of disease components in a biological sample is critically important. A point of care device can include a collection region and can be used to hold a sample that is combined with a fluorescent dye and a plurality of magnetic particles such that disease components in the sample are tagged with the fluorescent dye and the plurality of magnetic particles. At least one magnet can be located next to the collection region to establish a magnetic field gradient to draw the tagged disease components into the collection region from the device. A fluorescence microscope can image the small collection region based on the fluorescent dye to detect the disease components. The fluorescence microscope uses light to excite the fluorescent dye and a filter to transmit light emitted by the fluorescent dye to the fluorescence microscope, while restricting light used to excite the fluorescent dye.