Apparatus for estimating concentration of biomarker, and electronic device including the same

An apparatus for estimating a concentration of a biomarker, the apparatus comprising:

• a sensor configured to be attached to an object and react with the biomarker, and comprising
• a contact surface configured to be contacted by the object,
• a sensor cartridge disposed above the contact surface and comprising a measurement channel provided as a porous substrate, the measurement channel comprising a probe which is disposed in each pore of the porous substrate and changes in color upon reaction with the biomarker, and
• a hole provided at the contact surface and the sensor cartridge, to receive the biomarker;
• a light source configured to emit light onto the sensor;
• a detector configured to detect light incident from the sensor;
• and
• a processor configured to obtain color change information of the sensor based on the detected light, and estimate the concentration of the biomarker based on the obtained color change information,
• wherein the processor is further configured to:
• set a reference absorbance;
• and
• obtain a color change speed of the measurement channel based on a distance between a first position in the measurement channel at which the reference absorbance is detected and a second position, different from the first position, in the measurement channel at which the reference absorbance is detected, and a time difference between a first detection time of the first position and a second detection time of the second position.

An electronic device comprising:

• an inlet provided to be contacted by an object, and through which a biomarker of the object is introduced;
• a chamber configured to store the biomarker;
• a sensor cartridge into which the biomarker is introduced from the chamber and comprising a measurement channel provided as a porous substrate, the measurement channel comprising a probe which is disposed in each pore of the porous substrate and changes in color upon reaction with the biomarker;
• a slot configured to guide the sensor cartridge to the chamber when the sensor cartridge is inserted into the slot;
• a light source configured to emit light onto the measurement channel;
• a detector configured to detect the light incident from the measurement channel;
• and
• a processor configured to obtain color change information of the measurement channel based on the light detected by the detector, and estimate a concentration of the biomarker based on the color change information,
• wherein the processor is further configured to:
• set a reference absorbance;
• and
• obtain a color change speed of the measurement channel based on a distance between a first position in the measurement channel at which the reference absorbance is detected and a second position, different from the first position, in the measurement channel at which the reference absorbance is detected, and a time difference between a first detection time of the first position and a second detection time of the second position.