# US 2014/0193839 A1 · Smartphone Biosensor

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- Number: US 2014/0193839 A1
- Document ID: US20140193839A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/801,978
- Filed: 2013-03-13
- Published: 2014-07-10
- Earliest claimed: 2013-01-04
- Assignees: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
- Applicants: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
- Inventors: Brian T. Cunningham
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140193839A1

## CPC

- G01J 3/28: Investigating the spectrum (using colour filters G01J3/51)
- G01J 3/0202: {Mechanical elements; Supports for optical elements}
- G01J 3/0264: {Electrical interface; User interface}
- G01J 3/0272: {Handheld}
- G01J 3/44: Raman spectrometry; Scattering spectrometry {; Fluorescence spectrometry}
- G01J 3/4406: {Fluorescence spectrometry}
- G01N 21/25: Colour; Spectral properties, i.e. comparison of effect of material on the light at two or more different wavelengths or wavelength bands
- G01N 21/31: Investigating relative effect of material at wavelengths characteristic of specific elements or molecules, e.g. atomic absorption spectrometry {(G01N21/72 takes precedence)}
- G01N 21/553: {and using surface plasmons (fluorescence excitation G01N21/648; enhanced Raman G01N21/658)}
- G01N 21/6428: {Measuring fluorescence of fluorescent products of reactions or of fluorochrome labelled reactive substances, e.g. measuring quenching effects, using measuring "optrodes" (in vivo A61B5/00; immunoassay G01N33/53)}
- G01N 21/6445: {Measuring fluorescence polarisation}
- G01N 21/6486: {Measuring fluorescence of biological material, e.g. DNA, RNA, cells (G01N21/6428 takes precedence)}
- G01N 21/658: {enhancement Raman, e.g. surface plasmons}
- G01N 21/7746: {the waveguide coupled to a cavity resonator}
- H04M 1/72409: by interfacing with external accessories (hands-free H04M1/60)
- G01N 21/63: optically excited
- G01N 2021/6417: {Spectrofluorimetric devices}
- G01N 2201/0612: Laser diodes
- G01N 2201/062: LED's
- H04M 1/72412: using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
- G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N)
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08)

## Abstract

A mobile computing device that includes an image sensor may be used to detect the result of a biomolecular assay. The biomolecular assay may be performed in an optical assay medium that provides an optical output in response to light from a light source, with the optical output indicating result. A wavelength-dispersive element may be used to disperse the optical output into spatially-separated wavelength components. The mobile computing device may be positioned relative to the wavelength-dispersive element such that different wavelength components are received at different locations on the image sensor. With the mobile computing device positioned in this way, the image sensor may be used to obtain one or more images that include the separated wavelength components of the optical output. A wavelength spectrum of the optical output may be determined from the one or more images, and the result may be determined from the wavelength spectrum.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system, comprising:
a light source;
an optical assay medium configured to perform a biomolecular assay and provide an optical output in response to light from the light source, wherein the optical output is indicative of a result of the biomolecular assay;
a wavelength-dispersive element, wherein the wavelength-dispersive element is configured to disperse the optical output into spatially-separated wavelength components;
a mobile computing device, wherein the mobile computing device includes an image sensor; and
a mount configured to removably mount the mobile computing device in a predetermined position relative to the wavelength-dispersive element such that the image sensor can obtain an image of at least a portion of the dispersed optical output, the portion comprising a predetermined range of wavelengths in which different wavelength components are received at different locations on the image sensor.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile computing device is a smartphone.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the light source is a broadband light source.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The system of claim 3, wherein the broadband light source is external to the mobile computing device.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The system of claim 3, wherein the broadband light source is a light emitting diode (LED) in the mobile computing device.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the light source is a laser.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the optical assay medium comprises a photonic crystal.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, wherein the optical output comprises light from the light source transmitted through the photonic crystal and has a wavelength spectrum with a local minimum in a range of wavelengths resonantly reflected by the photonic crystal.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein a wavelength of the local minimum is indicative of the result of the biomolecular assay.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, wherein the optical output comprises light from the light source reflected by the photonic crystal and has a wavelength spectrum with a local maximum in a range of wavelengths resonantly reflected by the photonic crystal.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein a wavelength of the local maximum is indicative of the result of the biomolecular assay.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the optical assay medium comprises a transparent container containing a composition for performing an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) that produces a colored product in the presence of an analyte.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein the optical output comprises light from the light source transmitted through the container and has a wavelength spectrum with an absorption feature related to absorption of light by the colored product.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein an intensity of the absorption feature is indicative of the result of the biomolecular assay.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the optical assay medium comprises a fluorophore.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, wherein the optical output comprises a fluorescence emission from the fluorophore excited by light from the light source, and wherein an intensity of the fluorescence emission is indicative of the result of the biomolecular assay.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, wherein the optical assay medium comprises a photonic crystal and the fluorophore is proximal to a surface of the photonic crystal such that the fluorescence emission is enhanced.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, wherein the optical output comprises a fluorescence emission from the fluorophore excited by light from the light source, and wherein a polarization of the fluorescence emission is indicative of the result of the biomolecular assay.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the optical assay medium comprises a donor fluorophore and an acceptor fluorophore.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The system of claim 19, wherein the optical output comprises a fluorescence emission from the donor fluorophore and/or acceptor fluorophore excited by light from the light source.

### Claim 21 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the optical assay medium comprises a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) surface.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The system of claim 21, wherein the optical output comprises Raman scattering of light from the source by molecules proximal to the SERS surface, and wherein an intensity of the Raman scattering is indicative of the result of the biomolecular assay

### Claim 23 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the wavelength-dispersive element is a diffraction grating configured to diffract the optical output into at least one diffraction order in which different wavelength components of the optical output have different diffraction angles.

### Claim 24

(canceled)

### Claim 25 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile computing device further comprises:
a display;
a processor,
a memory;
program instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to cause the mobile computing device to perform functions, the functions comprising:
using the image sensor to obtain at least one image of the spatially-separated wavelength components; and
determining a wavelength spectrum of the optical output based on the at least one image of the spatially-separated wavelength component.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The system of claim 25, wherein the functions further comprise:
displaying an indication of the wavelength spectrum of the optical output on the display.

### Claim 27 (depends on 25)

The system of claim 25, wherein the functions further comprise:
determining the result of the biomolecular assay based on the wavelength spectrum of the optical output; and
displaying an indication of the result on the display.

### Claim 28

A method, comprising:
performing a biomolecular assay in an optical assay medium;
exposing the optical assay medium to light from a light source to produce an optical output, wherein the optical output is indicative of a result of the biomolecular assay;
dispersing the optical output into spatially-separated wavelength components;
using an image sensor of a mobile computing device to obtain at least one image of at least a portion of the dispersed optical output; and
determining the result of the biomolecular assay based on the at least one image.

### Claim 29 (depends on 28)

The method of claim 28, wherein determining the result of the biomolecular assay based on the at least one image comprises:
determining, by the mobile computing device, a wavelength spectrum of the optical output based on the at least one image; and
determining, by the mobile computing device, the result of the biomolecular assay based on the wavelength spectrum.

### Claim 30 (depends on 28)

The method of claim 28, further comprising:
placing the optical assay medium in a sample chamber of an instrument, wherein the instrument includes a input optical path for directing light from the light source to the optical assay medium in the sample chamber and an output optical path for receiving the optical output from the optical assay medium in the sample chamber.

### Claim 31 (depends on 30)

The method of claim 30, further comprising removably mounting the mobile computing device to the instrument, wherein removably mounting the mobile computing device to the instrument comprises optically coupling the image sensor of the mobile computing device to the output optical path.

### Claim 32 (depends on 31)

The method of claim 31, wherein the mobile computing device includes a light emitting diode (LED), and wherein removably mounting the mobile computing device to the instrument further comprises optically coupling the LED to the input optical path.

### Claim 33 (depends on 32)

The method of claim 32, wherein exposing the optical assay medium to light from a light source comprises exposing the optical assay medium to light from the LED.

### Claim 34

An optical instrument, comprising:
a sample chamber for receiving an optical assay medium;
an input optical path for directing light from a light source to the optical assay medium in the sample chamber;
an output optical path for receiving an optical output from the optical assay medium in the sample chamber, wherein the output optical path comprises a wavelength-dispersive element configured to disperse the optical output into spatially-separated wavelength components; and
a mount for removably mounting a mobile computing device to the instrument in a working position, wherein in the working position an image sensor of the mobile computing device is optically coupled to the output optical path such that the image sensor receives at least a portion of the dispersed optical output and different wavelength components are received at different locations on the image sensor.

### Claim 35

(canceled)

### Claim 36

(canceled)

### Claim 37 (depends on 34)

The optical instrument of claim 34, wherein the mobile computing device includes a light emitting diode (LED), and wherein in the working position the LED is optically coupled to the input optical path.

### Claim 38 (depends on 34)

The optical instrument of claim 34, wherein the wavelength-dispersive element is a diffraction grating.

### Claim 39 (depends on 34)

The optical instrument of claim 34, wherein in the working position a user interface of the mobile computing device is accessible.

### Claim 40 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile computing device includes a user interface, and wherein the user interface is accessible in the predetermined position.