Lateral Flow Optical Measurement for Foreign Substance False Positives
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Solution Overview
Problem
The adhesion of foreign substances to lateral flow test strips can lead to inaccurate sample determination in optical measurement devices, as it can cause measurement values to exceed threshold values, resulting in false-positive readings.
Innovation Solution
An optical measurement device that includes a measurement unit to emit light to the detection area of a lateral flow test strip and a determination unit to calculate a difference value between initial and latter measurement values when the measurement value exceeds a first threshold value. The device determines the sample as positive if the difference value exceeds a second threshold value, ensuring accurate determination despite foreign substance adhesion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If optical measurement is performed on lateral flow test strip, then quantitative analysis of measurement target substance is enabled, but foreign substance adhesion causes false-positive results
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by performing repeated optical measurements over time and analyzing the temporal changes in measurement values. The system dynamically evaluates whether measurement values are increasing or decreasing across multiple time points to distinguish genuine positive reactions from foreign substance adhesion, thereby resolving the technical contradiction between measurement precision and foreign substance interference
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by using the temporal pattern of measurement values to inform the final determination. The system feeds back the trend information (increasing or decreasing measurement values over time) to the determination logic, which then selects appropriate threshold comparison methods to eliminate false positives while maintaining accurate detection of true positives
2Ease of operation
If simple threshold comparison is used for determination, then determination process is simple and fast, but foreign substance adhesion causes measurement value to exceed threshold leading to false-positive
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains operational simplicity while improving reliability by dynamically analyzing the temporal pattern of measurement values. Instead of complex multi-parameter analysis, the system simply evaluates whether measurement values increase or decrease over time, adding minimal computational complexity while effectively distinguishing true positives from false positives caused by foreign substance adhesion
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the determination parameter from a single static threshold comparison to a dynamic assessment of measurement value trends over time. By evaluating whether measurement values increase or decrease across multiple time points, the system transforms the determination criterion while maintaining procedural simplicity and significantly improving determination accuracy
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 solution effectively ensures sample determination accuracy even when foreign substances adhere to the lateral flow test strips by distinguishing between genuine positive signals and those caused by foreign substance adhesion, thereby preventing false-positive results.
Implementation Method 1
a measurement unit which emits measurement light to a detection area of a lateral flow test strip and measures light obtained from the detection area by the emission of the measurement light
Data Source
AI summary
An optical measurement device 1 includes: a measurement unit; and a determination unit, wherein the determination unit calculates a difference value between the initial measurement value and the latter measurement value when the measurement value exceeds the first threshold value after the sample is held by the lateral flow test strip, determines that the sample is positive when the difference value exceeds a second threshold value set in advance, and determines that the sample is negative when the difference value is the second threshold value or less.