A device for receiving a digital reader and a lateral flow assay (LFA) cartridge and systems incorporating the same are provided. Aspects of the device include a body having a frame configured to receive the digital reader and a base plate having one or more LFA cartridge receiving positions for positioning one or more LFA cartridges at a fixed orientation relative to a planar space defined by the frame. Also provided are methods for using the device to read a result indicative of the presence or absence of an analyte in a sample.

An optical system configured to measure a raised or receded surface feature on a surface of a sample may comprise a broadband light source; a tunable filter configured to filter broadband light emitted from the broadband light source and to generate a first light beam at a selected wavelength; a linewidth control element configured to receive the first light beam and to generate a second light beam having a predefined linewidth and a predetermined coherence length; collimating optics optically coupled to the second light beam and configured to collimate the second light beam; collinearizing optics optically coupled to the collimating optics and configured to align the collimated second light beam onto the raised or receded surface feature of the sample, and a processor system and at least one digital imager configured to measure a height of the raised surface or depth of the receded surface from light reflected at least from those surfaces.

A system for characterizing at least one particle from a fluid sample is disclosed. The system includes a filter disposed upstream of an outlet, and a luminaire configured to illuminate the at least one particle at an oblique angle. An imaging device is configured to capture and process images of the illuminated at least one particle as it rests on the filter for characterizing the at least one particle. A system for characterizing at least one particle using bright field illumination is also disclosed. A method for characterizing particulates in a fluid sample using at least one of oblique angle and bright field illumination is also disclosed.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of screening a prostate cancer patient by optical image analysis of a circulating tumor cell marker and a prostate-specific membrane antigen.

A method of choosing which undesired cell to destroy in a multi-cell fluorescent event includes detecting fluorescence of cells, converting photons detected in the fluorescence into an analog voltage output signal, and identifying at least two discernable peaks associated with the cells. By looking solely at properties measured within the multi-cell fluorescent event, a decision of which cell to target for elimination can be made. Using this method with large population sizes can result in an effective sex skewed product. The sex skewed product can, for example, be formed from bull semen which is then later used to inseminate cows which results in an increased likelihood of giving birth to female cattle.

Pulsed hyperspectral, fluorescence, and laser mapping imaging without input clock or data transmission clock is disclosed. A system includes an emitter for emitting pulses of electromagnetic radiation and an image sensor comprising a pixel array for sensing reflected electromagnetic radiation. The system includes a plurality of bidirectional data pads and a controller in communication with the image sensor. The system is such that at least a portion of the pulses of electromagnetic radiation emitted by the emitter comprises one or more of: electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength from about 513 nm to about 545 nm, from about 565 nm to about 585 nm, from about 900 nm to about 1000 nm, an excitation wavelength of electromagnetic radiation that causes a reagent to fluoresce, or a laser mapping pattern.

Embodiments described herein generally relate to: sensing and/or authentication using luminescence imaging; diagnostic assays, systems, and related methods; temporal thermal sensing and related methods; and/or to emissive species, such as those excitable by white light, and related systems and methods.

An inspection apparatus includes a light source unit, cameras, a keyboard, and a controller that determines a wavelength of the excitation light, based on the information on the emission color received by the keyboard, and that controls the light source unit so that the light source unit generates excitation light with the determined wavelength. The controller determines a wavelength longer than an absorption edge wavelength of the substrate of the sample and shorter than a peak wavelength of an emission spectrum of the light-emitting element, the peak wavelength being specified from the information on the emission color, to be the wavelength of the excitation light.

Fluorophores are used during the synthesis of oligonucleotides to achieve real-time quality control of the synthesis process. Fluorescence may indicate successful addition of individual nucleotides to a growing oligonucleotide strand or removal of a blocking group. The oligonucleotides may be created by enzymatic synthesis using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT). The synthesis is performed on an addressable array so that oligonucleotides with different sequences are created in parallel on different regions of the array. The oligonucleotide sequences are predetermined and the locations of synthesis on the array are controlled. Observed fluorescence is compared to expected locations of fluorescence as determined by the oligonucleotide sequences and the arrangement on the array. Thus, the fidelity of oligonucleotide synthesis is checked as synthesis proceeds. If a variation is found, a mitigating action is taken such as repeating addition of a species of nucleotide or repeating a deblocking step.

Spatially resolved Fourier Transform Impedance Spectroscopy (FTIS) is disclosed to spatially map and quickly build the frequency response of optoelectronic devices using optical probes. The transfer function of a linear system is the Fourier transform of its impulse response, which may be obtained from transient photocurrent measurements of devices such as photodetectors and solar cells. We apply FTIS to a PbS colloidal quantum dot (QD)/SiC heterojunction photodiode and corroborate results using intensity-modulated photocurrent spectroscopy. The cutoff frequencies of the QD/SiC devices were as high as ˜10 kHz, demonstrating their utility in advanced flexible and thin film electronics. The practical frequencies for FTIS lie in the mHz-kHz range, ideal for composite or novel materials such as QD films that are dominated by interfacial trap states.