Point of care diagnostic systems

A method for reading a surface of a test strip comprising an image, comprising:

• moving a reader head in a reflectance reader to a first position over the surface comprising the image;
• measuring a first amount of light reflected from the surface comprising the image;
• uniformly illuminating the surface with light of a first wavelength, and measuring a second amount of light reflected from the surface;
• and
• uniformly illuminating the surface with light of a second wavelength, and measuring a third amount of light reflected from the surface, wherein the reflectance reader comprises:
• the reader head comprising:
• a reader head body;
• a light emitting diode;
• a first fiberoptic bundle optically coupled to the light emitting diode, and adapted to transmit light from the light emitting diode;
• a photodetector adapted for generating a reflection signal in response to reflected light;
• a second fiberoptic bundle optically coupled to the photodetector, and adapted to transmit an amount of reflected light to the photodetector;
• an aperture in the reader head body;
• and
• a plurality of fiberoptic conductor ends arranged in a sigmoidal distribution in the aperture, wherein:
• a first portion of the fiberoptic conductor ends comprises fiberoptic conductors of the first fiberoptic bundle;
• and a second portion of the fiberoptic conductor ends comprises fiberoptic conductors of the second fiberoptic bundle, the plurality of fiberoptic conductor ends being further arranged in a substantially co-planar relationship;
• and a reader housing comprising:
• a housing body;
• and
• a cassette slot adapted to receive a test device.

A method for reading a surface of a test strip comprising an image, comprising:

• moving a reader head in a reflectance reader to a first position over the surface comprising the image;
• measuring a first amount of light reflected from the surface comprising the image;
• uniformly illuminating the surface with light of a first wavelength, and measuring a second amount of light reflected from the surface;
• uniformly illuminating the surface with light of a second wavelength, and measuring a third amount of light reflected from the surface;
• moving the reader head to a second position over the surface comprising the image;
• measuring a fourth amount of light reflected from the second position on the surface comprising the image;
• uniformly illuminating the second position on the surface with light of the first wavelength, and measuring a fifth amount of light reflected from the surface;
• uniformly illuminating the second position on the surface with light of the second wavelength, and measuring a sixth amount of light reflected from the surface;
• and
• determining a parameter correlated with an intensity or shape of the image.

A method for reading a surface of a test strip comprising an image, comprising:

• (a) moving a reader head in a reflectance reader to a first position over the surface comprising the image;
• (b) measuring a first amount of light reflected from the surface comprising the image;
• (c) uniformly illuminating the surface with light of a first wavelength, and measuring a second amount of light reflected from the surface;
• (d) uniformly illuminating the surface with light of a second wavelength, and measuring a third amount of light reflected from the surface;
• (e) repeating each of steps (b) through (d) at additional positions on the surface until the image on the surface of the test strip is scanned;
• and
• (f) determining an intensity or shape of the image.

A method for reading a surface of a test strip comprising an image, comprising:

• moving a reader head in a reflectance reader to a first position over the surface comprising the image;
• measuring a first amount of light reflected from the surface comprising the image;
• transmitting light of a first wavelength onto the surface at an angle normal to the surface, and measuring a second amount of light reflected normally from the surface;
• and
• transmitting light of a second wavelength onto the surface at an angle normal to the surface, and measuring a third amount of light reflected normally from the surface.

A method for reading a surface of a test strip comprising an image, comprising:

• with a reader head in a reflectance reader at a first position over the surface comprising the image, measuring a first amount of light reflected from the first position of the surface comprising the image;
• transmitting light of a first wavelength onto the first position of the surface at an angle normal to the surface, and measuring a second amount of light reflected normally from the surface;
• transmitting light of a second wavelength onto the first position of the surface at an angle normal to the surface, and measuring a third amount of light reflected normally from the surface;
• moving the reader head to a second position over the surface comprising the image;
• measuring a fourth amount of light reflected from the second position on the surface comprising the image;
• transmitting light of the first wavelength onto the second position of the surface at an angle normal to the surface, and measuring a fifth amount of light reflected normally from the surface;
• transmitting light of the second wavelength onto the second position of the surface at an angle normal to the surface, and measuring a sixth amount of light reflected normally from the surface;
• and
• determining a parameter correlated with an intensity or shape of the image.

A method for reading a surface of a test strip comprising an image, comprising:

• (a) moving a reader head in a reflectance reader to a first position over the surface comprising the image;
• (b) measuring a first amount of light reflected from the surface comprising the image;
• (c) uniformly illuminating the surface with light of a first wavelength, and measuring a second amount of light reflected from the surface;
• (d) uniformly illuminating the surface with light of a second wavelength, and measuring a third amount of light reflected from the surface;
• and
• (e) moving the reader head in a stepwise fashion to a plurality of positions over the test strip, wherein steps (b) through (d) are repeated at each of the plurality of positions to determine an intensity or shape of the image.

A method for reading a surface of a test strip comprising an image, comprising:

• moving a reader head in a reflectance reader to a first position over the surface comprising the image;
• measuring a first amount of light reflected from the surface comprising the image;
• uniformly illuminating the surface with light of a first wavelength, and measuring a second amount of light reflected from the surface;
• uniformly illuminating the surface with light of a second wavelength, and measuring a third amount of light reflected from the surface;
• and
• emitting the light of the first wavelength from a light emitting diode;
• transmitting the emitted light of the first wavelength through a first fiberoptic bundle to the surface of the test strip;
• and
• transmitting the second amount of light reflected from the surface of the test strip through a second fiberoptic bundle to a photodetector.

A method for reading a surface of a test strip comprising an image, comprising:

• moving a reader head in a reflectance reader to a first position over the surface comprising the image;
• measuring a first amount of light reflected from the surface comprising the image;
• uniformly illuminating the surface with light of a first wavelength, and measuring a second amount of light reflected from the surface;
• uniformly illuminating the surface with light of a second wavelength, and measuring a third amount of light reflected from the surface;
• and
• emitting the light of the first wavelength from a first light emitting diode;
• transmitting the emitted light of the first wavelength through a first fiberoptic bundle to the surface of the test strip;
• transmitting the second amount of light reflected from the surface of the test strip through a second fiberoptic bundle to a photodetector;
• emitting the light of the second wavelength from a second light emitting diode;
• transmitting the emitted light of the second wavelength through a third fiberoptic bundle to the surface of the test strip;
• and
• transmitting the third amount of light reflected from the surface of the test strip through the second fiberoptic bundle to the photodetector.