Lateral Flow Assay Imaging in Dark Chambers for Remote Diagnosis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current disease diagnostics involving test assays require physical transportation of samples to laboratories, leading to time-consuming processes, potential exposure risks, and inefficiencies in clinical laboratory workflows, especially during emergencies.
Innovation Solution
A method and system utilizing a sample cartridge within a dark chamber, combined with an image-capturing device and optical coupling mechanism, allows for on-site disease diagnosis through fluorescence excitation and analysis, with results processed remotely via cloud computing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If physical sample transport to laboratory is used, then accurate disease diagnosis can be performed, but time consumption increases and exposure risks arise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the diagnostic function from the centralized laboratory and places it directly at the point of need (patient's location). The portable imaging device captures images of the sample cartridge at the user's location, eliminating the need to transport physical samples to a laboratory while maintaining diagnostic accuracy through direct imaging of the assay results.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a digital copy (image) of the sample cartridge contents using an imaging device. Instead of physically transporting the sample cartridge, the system captures visual information (images) of the assay results and transmits these digital copies for analysis, thereby eliminating physical transport time and exposure risks while preserving diagnostic accuracy.
2Reliability
If physical sample transport to laboratory is used, then disease diagnosis can be performed, but exposure risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the vulnerable step of physical sample transport from the diagnostic process. By using a portable imaging device to capture images of the sample cartridge at the user's location, the system eliminates the exposure risk associated with transporting samples through the healthcare system while maintaining the ability to perform accurate diagnoses.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates digital images of the sample cartridge contents and transmits these copies for analysis, eliminating the need for physical sample transport. This copying approach preserves diagnostic accuracy while removing the exposure risk inherent in physical transportation of biological samples.
3Measurement precision
If centralized laboratory processing is used, then comprehensive analysis can be performed, but laboratory workflow efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the imaging and initial analysis function from the centralized laboratory workflow and places it at the point of care. The portable imaging device captures images locally, and results can be processed immediately or transmitted for remote analysis, eliminating the bottleneck of physical sample transport and improving laboratory workflow efficiency while maintaining comprehensive analysis capabilities.
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 rapid, accurate, and safe disease diagnosis without physical sample transport, reducing exposure risks and improving laboratory efficiency, particularly in emergencies.
Implementation Method 1
a light emitting device configured to emit a fluorescence excitation light directed to the sample cartridge
Data Source
AI summary
A method for performing a lateral flow assay is provided. The method includes inserting a sample cartridge in a dark chamber and activating a light emitter in the dark chamber. The method includes focusing an optical coupling mechanism in an image-capturing device to optimize an image of a sensitive area in the sample cartridge and capturing, with an image capturing device, an image of a sensitive area in the sample cartridge after a selected period of time. The method also includes providing the image of the sensitive area to a processor, wherein the processor comprises an image-capturing application. A system and a computer-implemented method to perform at least partially the above method are also provided.