Handheld Diagnostic Device Using Manual Pumping

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current handheld diagnostic systems require significant power to move fluids, limiting their portability and battery life, and often necessitate complex sample preparation and infrastructure for operation.

Innovation Solution

A portable, handheld diagnostic device with a zero-power fluid transport system using manually stored mechanical energy and magnetic particle capture for biological assays, enabling rapid nucleic-acid based diagnostics with minimal training and no sample preparation, and a low-cost satellite-based data transmission for remote locations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If pneumatic pumps are used to move fluids in microfluidic circuits, then fluid transport capability is improved, but power consumption and device size increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidfluid transport capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces pneumatic pumps with a mechanical hand-crank driven pump system. The user manually operates the pump through mechanical motion, eliminating the need for electrical power sources while maintaining fluid transport capability. This substitution of electrical mechanical systems with manual mechanical systems directly addresses the contradiction by removing power consumption requirements while preserving operational functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The hand-crank pump system enables the device to be self-powered through user input. The mechanical energy provided by the user directly drives the fluid transport without requiring external power sources. This self-service approach allows the device to maintain fluid transport capability while having zero power consumption, resolving the technical contradiction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Measurement precision

If magnetic beads are used for target biomolecule capture, then diagnostic accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvediagnostic accuracyVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent integrates magnetic bead capture functionality directly into the microfluidic circuit chamber. The magnetic beads are combined with target biomolecules in the same chamber where detection occurs, eliminating the need for separate capture and detection chambers. This merging of functions maintains diagnostic accuracy through magnetic bead capture while reducing overall device complexity by minimizing the number of components and chambers required.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Productivity

If rapid diagnostics are achieved in 45 minutes, then productivity is improved, but measurement precision may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvediagnostic speedVSAvoiddiagnostic accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs magnetic beads that are pre-coated with probes specific to target biomolecules. This preliminary preparation of the magnetic beads allows for immediate capture of target molecules upon introduction of the sample, eliminating the need for extended incubation or binding periods. The pre-prepared magnetic beads enable rapid diagnostics while maintaining diagnostic accuracy through specific and immediate target capture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses magnetic field-based capture instead of traditional mechanical separation methods. The magnetic field rapidly concentrates magnetic beads bound to target biomolecules against the chamber wall, enabling quick separation and detection. This mechanical substitution with magnetic field manipulation achieves both rapid diagnostics and high measurement precision by eliminating time-consuming mechanical separation steps.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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

The device achieves efficient fluid transport and rapid diagnostics with minimal power consumption, ease of operation, and global data transmission, suitable for low-resource settings, reducing the need for extensive infrastructure and training.

Implementation Method 1

Microfluidic assay systems have employed magnetic beads with surfaces with probes to combine with target biomolecules or cells are trapped in a flow passage by a magnet.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMagnetic field: Magnetic Field

Implementation Method 2

A portable unitary device handheld diagnostic device can be operated with minimal power requirement... using manually stored mechanical energy

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical energy storage: Mechanical Accumulator

Data Source

PatentUS9268911B2Field optimized assay devices, methods, and systems

Publication Date: 2016.02.23 THE TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIV IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK

AI summary

A portable unitary device handheld diagnostic device can be operated with minimal power requirement and provides ease of operation as well as low cost communication of diagnostic data from remote locations. The device can provide nucleic-acid based diagnostics with minimal training, little to no sample preparation, and generates diagnostic data in about 45 minutes. A system can enable point of care transmission from any location globally using a low cost satellite-based data link technique, for example, Short Burst Data (SBD), combined with data encoding.