A detection method according to the present embodiment comprises the steps of (a) photographing a first reference color area indicated by a first reference color, a second reference color area indicated by a second reference color, and a detection region reacting with a target so as to change color, (b) converting a photography result into a single element, (c) extracting a single element gradation value from the converted photography result, (d) converting the extracted single element gradation value into a standard gradation value, and (e) detecting the concentration of the target from the standard gradation value.

Assays used in conjunction with a thermal contrast reader are disclosed. In the assay, the test strip includes materials that can develop a thermal response if a target analyte is present in a sample. The thermal contrast reader includes housing having an opening to receive the test strip at a test location, an energy source directed at the test location and a heat sensor directed at the test location. The heat sensor is configured to sense heating of the test strip upon activation of the heat source at the test location, if the target analyte is present in the sample. The heat sensor can provide sensor output using diagnostic circuitry coupled to the sensor output and configured to provide a diagnostic output. The diagnostic output can indicate the diagnostic condition of the patient as a function of the sensor output. The present disclosure also includes methods of detecting target analytes and kits comprising lateral flow assays and thermal contrast reader.

Methods and electronic devices for performing color-based reaction testing of biological materials. The method includes capturing and interpreting digital images of an unexposed and later exposed paddle at various delay times within an automatically calibrated environment. The test paddle includes a unique identification mechanism (UID), a Reference Color Bar (RCB) providing samples of standardized colors for image color calibration, compensation and corrections, and several test-specific sequences of Chemical Test Pads (CTP). The method further includes locating the paddle in the image, extracting the UID and validating the paddle, extracting the RCB and locating the plurality of CTP in each image. The method further reduces image noise in the CTP and calibrates the image automatically according to lighting measurements performed on the RCB. To determine test results, the method further determines several distances between the CTP and its possible trajectory in the color space described by the Manufacturer Interpretation Color Chart.

A method is provided for a computing device with an imaging device to read a specimen test strip. The method includes capturing an image of the specimen test strip, wherein the image includes a reaction area, a color calibration area, and a temperature calibration area on the specimen test strip, determining a color of the reaction area based on one or more colors of the color calibration area, and determining a value of a characteristic of an analyte by correlating the color of the reaction area to the value and then adjusting the value based on the color of the temperature calibration area, or adjusting the color of the reaction area based on the color of the temperature calibration area and then correlating the color of the reaction area to the value.

Differing from conventional lateral flow immunoassay test strips, the present invention provides an immunoassay kit comprising a release strip and a reaction strip. When using this immunoassay kit to complete a competitive-type immunochromatographic test or a sandwich-type immunochromatographic test for a test sample, it needs to firstly put the release strip into the test sample for releasing a specific antibody (or antigen) conjugating with a marker into the test sample, so as to make the first antibody connect to a target object in the test sample; after that, the reaction strip is eventually put into the test sample after the release strip is removed out of the test sample. Therefore, the qualitative analysis result of the competitive/sandwich-type immunochromatographic test can be easily obtained by determining whether the test line shows the color reaction or not.

The present disclosure relates to using color calibration to improve and increase the accuracy of interpreting color-sensitive results from test strips made of substrates like paper. This is accomplished via a diagnostic test unit including a substrate, at least one region on the substrate, a reagent placed within the region to react, and a series of color legends on the substrate. Different reagent samples may be placed on the separate regions of a substrate for testing. An imaging device is used to capture the reaction results. More precise readings can be obtained by comparing the reaction results to the color legends to determine the measured property of the analyte.

A method of evaluating the suitability of a mobile device for performing an analytical measurement based on a color formation reaction. The capability of the mobile device to have relevant settings of the mobile device controlled by software running on the mobile device is evaluated. The relevant settings pertain to image raw data processing steps to be carried out by the mobile device and may include a color space transformation and a tone mapping transformation. When the evaluation indicates that the mobile device is capable of having the relevant settings controlled by the software, control information indicating that the mobile device is suitable for performing the analytical measurement is provided. When the evaluation indicates that the mobile device is not capable of having the relevant settings controlled by the software, control information indicating that the mobile device is unsuitable for performing the analytical measurement is provided.

A method of determining concentration of an analyte in a body fluid using a mobile device having a camera is disclosed. In the inventive method, the camera is used to take a series of calibration images of a region of interest of an object. The calibration images differ in their brightness. A key calibration figure is derived from each calibration image, the key calibration images being characteristic for a tone mapping function of the mobile device. A probable tone mapping function of the mobile device is determined by taking into account the key calibration figures. An analysis image is taken of at least part of a test field of an optical test strip, the test field having a body fluid applied thereto. Analyte concentration is determined from the analysis image of the test field by taking into account the probable tone mapping function of the mobile device.

Disclosed is a device including at least a section 1, a section 2, a section 3 and a section 4 wherein section 2 is coupled to section 1, section 3 is coupled to section 2 and comprises a surface functionalized with an analyte or equivalent thereof, section 4 is coupled to section 3, and section 1, section 2, section 3 and section 4 are arranged along a horizontal axis and in fluid communication allowing lateral flow from section 1 throughout all sections to section 4. Disclosed are also a kit and method for determining and quantifying the presence of an analyte in a sample.

A method of performing an analytical measurement includes using a camera of a mobile device to capture a time series of images of at least a part of a medical article. From this, image-derived position information on a relative position of the mobile device and the medical article is derived, thereby generating a first time series of position information. A sensor captures measurement information on the relative position of the mobile device and the medical article. Measurement-derived position information is used to generate a second time series of position information, and the first and second time series of position information are combined to generate an augmented time series of position information. From this, guidance is provided to a user to move the mobile device and the medical article into a relative target position. A mobile device, a kit and a computer program are also disclosed.