Portable SPR Biosensor with Disposable Chips
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surface plasmon resonance biosensors are expensive and lack portability, making them inaccessible for widespread use in research and clinical applications.
Innovation Solution
A portable surface plasmon resonance biosensor device featuring a capacitive angle sensor, a rotatable adapter with a prism or half-cylinder, a light source, and a solar cell as a light response element, which measures incident and reflected light intensity to generate SPR spectra without the need for expensive optical systems, allowing for real-time analysis of fluid samples.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If commercial SPR biosensors are used, then measurement precision and reliability are improved, but device cost and complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs disposable sensing chips with pre-coated ligands that can be discarded after single use, eliminating the need for expensive, complex, and reusable commercial SPR biosensors. This approach maintains detection sensitivity while dramatically reducing device cost and complexity for each measurement cycle.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and isolates the essential sensing function from the complex commercial SPR biosensor system by using simple optical components (light source, detector, prism) combined with disposable sensing chips. This separation allows the core measurement function to be preserved while removing unnecessary complexity.
2Measurement precision
If commercial SPR biosensors are used, then measurement precision is improved, but portability and ease of operation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the SPR biosensor system into modular components: a simple handheld device with basic optical elements and disposable sensing chips. This segmentation enables portability and ease of operation while maintaining measurement precision through the specialized disposable chips.
Solution Approach 2:
By using disposable sensing chips instead of expensive reusable sensors, the patent makes the system portable and easier to operate, as each chip is self-contained and requires no complex calibration or maintenance procedures.
3Device complexity
If simple optical systems are used, then device cost and complexity are reduced, but measurement precision may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent compensates for the simplicity of the optical system by using disposable sensing chips with optimized ligand coatings and surface preparations. These chips are manufactured with high precision to ensure consistent detection sensitivity despite the simplicity of the handheld optical components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes parameters such as ligand density, coating thickness, and surface chemistry on the disposable sensing chips to maintain high measurement precision. By controlling these parameters during chip manufacturing, the system achieves reliable detection despite using simple optical components.
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 provides a cost-effective and portable solution for real-time monitoring of biomolecular interactions, capable of detecting analytes in fluid samples with high sensitivity and specificity, suitable for both research and educational purposes.
Implementation Method 1
Surface plasmon is a quantum name for an electric charge density wave that propagates on an interface between a metal and a dielectric... Surface plasmons resonate upon excitation by electromagnetic radiation entering an interface of metallic material and a dielectric material... the reflectivity of incident light could change from 1 to 0 at θSPR
Implementation Method 2
a capacitive angle sensor mounted to the support means having a shaft
Implementation Method 3
a light response element as a transducer to generate an intensity output mounted on a third side of the prism or half cylinder... the light response element measures light intensity reflected from the inner surface of the thin metallic film
Data Source
AI summary
A surface plasmon resonance biosensor device and system are provided. The simplicity of SPR biosensor design allows easy integration with both QCM and electrochemistry techniques, not found in current SPR biosensor devices. In some embodiments, the surface plasmon resonance biosensor device has a dual SPR/QCM sample holder which allows simultaneous detection by both surface plasmon resonance and also quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) techniques. In additional embodiments, the surface plasmon resonance biosensor device and/or the dual SPR/QCM technique can be integrated with electrochemistry techniques by incorporate reference and counter electrodes in the SPR or SPR/QCM sample holder. Methods of using the device and system to determine whether an analyte of interest is present in a sample are also provided.