Tri-electrode apparatus and methods for molecular analysis
AssigneeBoard of Regents, The University of Texas System
InventorsShalini Prasad, Anjan Panneer Selvam
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The claimed invention is an apparatus and method for performing impedance spectroscopy with a handheld measuring device. Conformal analyte sensor circuits comprising a porous nanotextured substrate and a conductive material situated on the top surface of the solid substrate in a circuit design may be used alone or in combination with a handheld potentiometer. Also disclosed are methods of detecting and/or quantifying target analytes in a sample using a handheld measuring device.
Claims18
A handheld device for measuring a target analyte comprising:
- (a) a programmable gain amplifier configured to be operably coupled to a first electrode, a second electrode, and a third electrode;
- and
- (b) a programmable microcontroller operably coupled to the programmable gain amplifier, the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode;
- wherein the programmable microcontroller is operable to apply a first alternating input electric voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode;
- the programmable microcontroller is operable to apply a second alternating input electric voltage between the third electrode and the second electrode;
- the programmable gain amplifier is operable to amplify an alternating output current flowing from the first electrode and from the third electrode through the second electrode;
- the programmable microcontroller is operable to calculate an impedance by comparing the first input electric voltage and the second input electric voltage to the measured output current;
- the programmable microcontroller is operable to calculate a target analyte concentration from the calculated impedance;
- and, the programmable microcontroller is operable to use multi-slice splitting and signal analysis to determine a frequency at which the impedance change is at a maximum or minimum.
A handheld device for measuring a target analyte comprising:
- (a) a programmable gain amplifier configured to be operably coupled to a first electrode, a second electrode, and a third electrode;
- (b) a programmable microcontroller operably coupled to the programmable gain amplifier, the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode;
- wherein the programmable microcontroller is operable to apply a first alternating input electric voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode;
- the programmable microcontroller is operable to apply a second alternating input electric voltage between the third electrode and the second electrode;
- the programmable gain amplifier is operable to shift the angular orientation of an electric field of the second alternating input electric voltage;
- the programmable gain amplifier is operable to amplify an alternating output current flowing through the third electrode;
- the programmable microcontroller is operable to calculate an amplitude of the alternating output current;
- the programmable microcontroller is operable to detect a presence of one or more target analytes by comparing the angular orientation to the amplitude of the alternating output current and, the programmable microcontroller is operable to use multi-slice splitting and signal analysis to determine a frequency at which the impedance change is at a maximum or minimum.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.