LSPR Biosensor Smartphone SARS-CoV-2 Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current COVID-19 testing methods, such as real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), are labor-intensive, require specialized laboratories, and fail to detect asymptomatic carriers, contributing to the spread of SARS-CoV-2 due to their limitations in sensitivity and accessibility.
Innovation Solution
A nanostructure-based localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) biosensor system integrated with a smartphone, utilizing gold or silver nanoparticles coated fiber optics, which detects SARS-CoV-2 antigens in body fluids through spectral shifts in reflected light, allowing for rapid, sensitive, and portable testing without the need for thermal control units or specialized equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If qRT-PCR is used for SARS-CoV-2 detection, then sensitivity and specificity are improved, but device complexity and operational difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical and thermal systems (thermal cyclers, centrifuges, pipettes) with a simplified optical detection system based on LSPR. The biosensor uses localized surface plasmon resonance to detect viral antigens directly, eliminating the need for thermal cycling and complex sample preparation equipment, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining detection capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the essential detection function from the complex qRT-PCR system by using LSPR biosensors that directly detect SARS-CoV-2 antigens in saliva samples. This extraction removes the need for nucleic acid extraction, reverse transcription, and PCR amplification steps, simplifying the overall testing procedure while maintaining diagnostic accuracy
2Measurement precision
If qRT-PCR is used for SARS-CoV-2 detection, then detection accuracy is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The LSPR biosensor system enables self-service testing by allowing individuals to collect their own saliva samples and perform detection without requiring trained laboratory personnel. The device automatically processes the sample and provides results, making COVID-19 testing as accessible as taking a photograph with a smartphone
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mobile application that bridges the simple optical detection with user-friendly operation. The app guides users through the testing process, interprets the optical signals from the LSPR sensor, and delivers results in an easily understandable format, thereby improving ease of operation while maintaining detection accuracy
3Reliability
If qRT-PCR is used for SARS-CoV-2 detection, then reliability is improved, but productivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the testing process into independent, parallel operations where multiple LSPR biosensors can simultaneously detect multiple samples. This parallelization capability allows the system to maintain high reliability through replicate measurements while dramatically increasing productivity by testing multiple samples at the same time, unlike the sequential nature of traditional qRT-PCR
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 accurate, real-time detection of SARS-CoV-2 antigens in body fluids, including asymptomatic cases, with the potential for at-home or field use, reducing the burden on healthcare systems and facilitating decentralized testing.
Implementation Method 1
nanostructure-based localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) biosensor... detecting SARS-CoV-2 antigens in body fluids using localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR)... spectral shifts in reflected light
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure presents nanostructure-based localized surface plasmon resonance systems and related methods. In this regard, a method comprises applying a body fluid sample to a metal surface of the nanostructure-based LSPR biosensor with linker, intermediate, and capture/probe antibodies; illuminating the metal surface of the nanostructure-based LSPR biosensor with the monochromatic, broadband, or laser light; measuring an intensity or spectrum of absorbed, reflected, transmitted, or scattered exiting light from the nanostructure-based LSPR biosensor having the body fluid sample and comparing the measured intensity or spectrum with a reference intensity; detecting a spectral shift of exiting light from the nanostructure-based LSPR biosensor having the body fluid sample; and signaling that the body fluid sample is positive for a presence of a particular biomaterial in response to detecting the spectral shift of the exiting light, wherein the biomaterial has binded or adsorbed to the metal surface of the nanostructure-based LSPR biosensor.