Abstract

A stand-alone point-of-care device can employ smart hydrogel structures to detect target analytes in a fluid sample. The device includes a microfluidic sample slide including a microfluidic channel with one or more smart hydrogel structures positioned within the channel. The slide can be inserted into an associated analytic device, to analyze the swelling state of the hydrogel structures using an optical camera to capture images of the hydrogel structure(s) before and after interaction of such hydrogel structure with the fluid sample. Such optical imaging can be used to quickly and easily measure the dimensional change in the hydrogel structure, which change can be correlated to the concentration of analyte in the fluid sample. Imaging and analytics can be performed by an associated analytic device (e.g., which receives a microchannel slide containing the fluid sample), or imaging and analytics can be accomplished with a smartphone camera and associated app.

IPC Classes  ?

• G01N 33/50 - Chemical analysis of biological material, e.g. blood, urineTesting involving biospecific ligand binding methodsImmunological testing
• B01L 3/00 - Containers or dishes for laboratory use, e.g. laboratory glasswareDroppers
• G01N 27/00 - Investigating or analysing materials by the use of electric, electrochemical, or magnetic means
• G01N 30/00 - Investigating or analysing materials by separation into components using adsorption, absorption or similar phenomena or using ion-exchange, e.g. chromatography
• G01N 30/58 - Conditioning of the sorbent material or stationary liquid the sorbent moving as a whole
• G01N 30/74 - Optical detectors