Universal rapid diagnostic test reader with trans-visual sensitivity

Inventors

Karlovac, Neven • Mudanyali, Onur • Gerrick, Sophie Lorraine • Delcher, Ray Carlisle • Tseng, Derek Kuochao

Assignees

Nowdiagnostics Inc

Abstract

A universal rapid diagnostics test reader is disclosed and described herein that includes a set of control electronics, a digital camera component, an illumination component, a housing component, and a rapid diagnostics test tray, wherein the tray can hold at least one rapid diagnostics test having a shape and a size in a fixed position relative to the digital camera component and the illumination component, and wherein the reader can accommodate more than one different rapid diagnostics test. Methods are also disclosed that include: providing at least one first rapid diagnostics test having a first physical size, first feature and first format; providing at least one second rapid diagnostics test having a second physical size, second feature and second format; inserting the first rapid diagnostics test in a universal rapid diagnostics test reader; analyzing the first rapid diagnostics test using the universal rapid diagnostics test reader; removing the first rapid diagnostics test from the reader; inserting the second rapid diagnostics test in a universal rapid diagnostics test reader without any mechanical adjustments of the reader or without the use of any additional parts or additional inserts; and analyzing the second rapid diagnostics test using the universal rapid diagnostics test reader.

Core Innovation

The invention provides a universal rapid diagnostics test reader that includes control electronics comprising processor electronics, an illumination component, a digital camera component, and a housing component. The illumination component includes a transmission mode of operation where the rapid diagnostic test is between a light-emitting diode and the camera component, and the housing component receives these elements together.

A key aspect is a single rapid diagnostics test tray that comprises a series of cradles formed by ridges at different heights, orientations, and lateral extensions. The single tray holds at least two different types or kinds of rapid diagnostics tests having a shape and a size in a fixed position relative to the digital camera component and the illumination component, while the tray holds only one test at one time.

The single rapid diagnostics test tray is configured to accommodate different types or kinds of rapid diagnostics tests in the same single rapid diagnostics test tray without additional mechanical adaptation to the test before it is placed in the tray, without a mechanical adapter surrounding the test before it is placed in the tray, and without additional mechanical components applied to the test before it is placed in the tray.

Claims Coverage

The independent claim set contains one independent claim. It covers the combination of control electronics driving an illumination component, a digital camera component, a housing component, and a single universal rapid diagnostics test tray that positions different rapid diagnostic test types in a fixed optical relationship without mechanical adaptation.

The central inventive coverage is the universal reader architecture combined with a single rapid diagnostics test tray having ridges and cradles that position different test types in a fixed position relative to the camera and illumination, while holding only one test at a time and requiring no additional mechanical adaptation.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications