Compact portable apparatus for optical assay

摘要

A structure is configured to retain optical diagnostic assay components in a manner that enables them to be synergistically combined or coupled both mechanically and electrically with a conventional mobile electronic device (such as a smartphone), such that the pairing maintains a mutually advantageous relationship to provide a compact portable optical assay apparatus in which the optical assay portion has access to the image sensor, battery power, microprocessor, and data capture, analysis, storage, display and transmission capabilities of the smartphone, and the smartphone portion provides the overall apparatus with features of transportability, user interface, and information storage, analysis and retrieval, and transmission of assay results to a separate site, such as a site of records related to the provider of the sample being assayed. Methods of providing such structure and of performing an optical assay of sample material utilizing such structure are described.

主权项

1. A compact portable optical assay system, comprising a mobile electronic device having a battery coupled to an electrical connector accessible from outside the device, and having an optical signal sensor; and an optical assay portion including a light source, a mechanical coupler to couple and decouple the assay portion to and from the device, and a receptacle for a succession of samples from among biological, clinical, environmental, and foodstuff materials to be assayed; each sample labeled with one or more fluorophores to emit optical signals from analytes bound thereto and sought to be detected, if present in the sample, when illuminated by the light source, the coupler being configured to encompass substantially the entire device when fully coupled thereto and thereby to position a sample, when present in said receptacle, in an optical path with both said light source and said optical signal sensor of the device said coupler having an electrical connector arranged and adapted to mate with the electrical connector of the device as the assay portion and the device are fully coupled with the coupler, to assist in securing the two together for stability of both the coupling thereof and the position of the sample in said optical path, and to power both the device and the light source of the assay portion from the device battery, the optical signal sensor being adapted for selective energization by the battery and thereupon to activate the light source to illuminate the sample, whereby to detect analytes in the sample under assay from optical signals captured by the sensor.