INTEGRATED SYSTEM FOR THE DETECTION OF BIOLOGICAL INGREDIENTS, USING OPTICAL CONTROL AND MICROFLUIDIC MICROSYSTEMS

摘要

The invention aims at the integrated monitoring and control of fluidic motion as well as the readout of the biological reaction results in arbitrary microfluidic microsystems using a camera sensor, for the continuous control of all points of the microsystem starting with the sample introduction all the way to the processing of results of the biological reaction, aiming at low cost and manufacturing complexity. The suggested system consists of a camera with lens, different light source depending on the size and type of the microsystem to be analyzed and monitored, control of sensors and actuators, processing unit for the execution of all actions foreseen by the biological assay, as well as the execution of machine vision algorithms for the detection of microflows, relevant calculations, as well as the readout of biochemical reactions, provided there is appropriate labeling of the sample being processed. The suggested solution is capable to combine the optical control of the fluidic motion with the detection of biological reactions either optically or under deployment of electronically controlled biosensors, as the purpose of the invention is the creation of a platform capable to operate with different setups. In the optical control of reactions it is possible to use different excitation sources, such as simple light or higher energetic waves (laser). In the first case, it is necessary to introduce an evanescent light-waveguide that is illuminated from the sides, while in the second case the light source is placed directly beneath the detection area. In order to be able to both control the fluidic motion and the detection of biological reactions optically, it is necessary not only to control sensors and actuators of the setup but also all light sources involved. The images taken by the camera in the control case are fed into a machine vision subsystem that performs the motion detection, speed estimation and volume calculation, while the footage for the detection of biological reactions are fed to a different subsystem that detects reaction spots and the corresponding intensity.