Portable Lateral Flow Cassette for Ovulation Monitoring
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for remote hormone monitoring, particularly for reproductive hormones, are limited in accessibility and efficiency, requiring women to travel to clinical labs for testing, which is time-consuming, expensive, and often provides delayed results.
Innovation Solution
A portable in-home diagnostic system using a disposable lateral flow assay test cassette that allows users to analyze multiple analytes, including reproductive hormones, using a smart device to capture and interpret the results, enabling remote monitoring of ovulation cycles and early pregnancy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If women travel to clinical labs for hormone testing, then quantitative reproductive hormone analysis can be performed, but accessibility and convenience deteriorate due to limited lab locations and travel requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the hormone testing capability from centralized clinical laboratories and places it in disposable test cassettes that can be used at home. The test cassette contains all necessary reagents and antibodies to perform quantitative reproductive hormone analysis locally, eliminating the need for women to travel to limited lab locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a smartphone application as an intermediary that connects home-based test cassette results to clinical interpretation. The app captures images of the test results, performs automated analysis, and provides quantitative hormone level interpretations, bridging the gap between simple home testing and professional medical analysis.
2Ease of operation
If blood samples are collected and mailed to labs for processing, then hormone analysis can be performed remotely, but time efficiency deteriorates due to 3-7 day processing delays
Solution Approach 1:
The test cassette is designed as a self-contained, self-service system that performs hormone analysis locally without requiring external laboratory processing. The cassette contains pre-loaded reagents and antibodies that react with the urine sample to produce immediate visual results, eliminating the 3-7 day mailing and processing delay.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of sample collection, mailing, and laboratory processing with a chemical reaction system that occurs locally in the test cassette. The immunoassay chemistry automatically processes the sample and generates results within minutes, substituting the slow mechanical logistics chain with rapid chemical analysis.
3Measurement precision
If traditional diagnostic tests are used, then hormone levels can be detected, but cost efficiency deteriorates due to expensive clinical lab services
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs disposable test cassettes that are inexpensive to manufacture and use. Each single-use cassette contains the necessary antibodies and reagents for hormone detection, eliminating the need for expensive reusable laboratory equipment and reducing per-test costs significantly compared to clinical lab services.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a simplified copy of the laboratory immunoassay process that can be performed at home. The test cassette replicates the essential chemistry of lab-based hormone analysis using miniaturized reagents and visual readout, providing accurate hormone level detection without the overhead costs of a full laboratory setting.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple analytes are analyzed separately, then comprehensive ovulation cycle monitoring can be achieved, but device complexity and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple hormone detection capabilities into a single test cassette that can analyze multiple analytes simultaneously from one urine sample. The cassette contains separate reaction zones for detecting different reproductive hormones, allowing comprehensive ovulation cycle monitoring in a single integrated device rather than requiring multiple separate tests.
Solution Approach 2:
The test cassette is designed as a universal platform that can detect various reproductive hormones including LH, FSH, estrogen, and progesterone. This multi-functional design allows the same device to perform different hormone analyses depending on the specific antibodies and reagents included, providing versatile ovulation cycle monitoring without increasing operational complexity for the user.
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
This system allows for rapid, cost-effective, and accessible monitoring of reproductive hormones, providing same-day results and increasing access to care for infertility diagnosis and treatment.
Implementation Method 1
Diagnostic tests for screening analytes, e.g. urinary hormones or metabolites thereof, may utilize antibodies specific to the analyte
Implementation Method 2
A change in the level from a predetermined threshold level may be noted by differences in color or color intensity compared with the color in a reference window or reference guide
Data Source
AI summary
The preferred embodiment of the resent invention is described as an in-home diagnostic system used to monitor ovulation cycles. In embodiments, the invention allows for users to evaluate early pregnancy status without medical training. Embodiments of the invention comprise a method incorporating usage of a smart device to allow for analysis of multiple analytes present within a single sample placed upon a lateral flow assay test cassette.