Smartphone Biosensor Using Wavelength Dispersive Element
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current label-free optical biosensors are not fully integrated with smartphones, limiting their portability and accessibility for biomolecular assays, particularly in point-of-care diagnostics and field applications.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a light source, an optical assay medium, a wavelength-dispersive element, and a mobile computing device (such as a smartphone) that disperses optical output into spatially-separated wavelength components, allowing the smartphone to perform biomolecular assays by determining the wavelength spectrum and displaying the results.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If label-free optical biosensors are integrated with smartphones, then portability and accessibility are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple biosensing modalities (surface plasmon resonance, photonic crystal sensing, fluorescence detection) into a single smartphone-integrated platform. The smartphone serves as both the detection instrument and data processing unit, merging functions that were previously separated into standalone laboratory instruments into one portable device.
Solution Approach 2:
The smartphone is designed to perform multiple biosensing functions through different optical detection modalities. The same device can conduct SPR measurements, photonic crystal-based detection, and fluorescence assays, making it a universal biosensing platform that replaces multiple specialized instruments.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple biosensing modalities are integrated into smartphone, then detection versatility is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the biosensing platform into separate functional modules: optical components (light sources, detectors, filters), sensing surfaces (SPR chips, photonic crystal substrates), and software processing. This segmentation allows each module to be optimized and manufactured independently, reducing the overall manufacturing precision burden while maintaining detection versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes different optical parameters (wavelength, intensity, polarization) to achieve multiple detection modalities. By changing optical parameters rather than requiring different physical sensing mechanisms, the patent reduces manufacturing complexity while maintaining versatility across SPR, photonic crystal, and fluorescence detection methods.
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 portable, cost-effective, and user-friendly biomolecular assays outside laboratory settings, facilitating point-of-care diagnostics and reducing the need for trained technicians, with the smartphone acting as a high-resolution spectrometer and wavelength filter.
Implementation Method 1
a wavelength-dispersive element configured to disperse the optical output into spatially-separated wavelength components
Implementation Method 2
surface plasmon resonance (SPR) based biosensors are capable of detecting broad classes of biological analytes through their intrinsic dielectric permittivity
Implementation Method 3
photonic crystal (PC) optical biosensors are capable of detecting broad classes of biological analytes through their intrinsic dielectric permittivity
Data Source
AI summary
A mobile computing device that includes an image sensor may be used to detect the result of a biomolecular assay. The biomolecular assay may be performed in an optical assay medium that provides an optical output in response to light from a light source, with the optical output indicating result. A wavelength-dispersive element may be used to disperse the optical output into spatially-separated wavelength components. The mobile computing device may be positioned relative to the wavelength-dispersive element such that different wavelength components are received at different locations on the image sensor. With the mobile computing device positioned in this way, the image sensor may be used to obtain one or more images that include the separated wavelength components of the optical output. A wavelength spectrum of the optical output may be determined from the one or more images, and the result may be determined from the wavelength spectrum.