Verification device for optical clinical assay systems

A reference device useful for verification of a clinical analytical system having an optical detection apparatus, the reference device comprising:

• an optical shutter;
• an opaque optical reference comprising a fluorescent target with a fluorescent compound incorporated into a support matrix so that any fluorescent intensity of light detected by the system varies as a function of the state of the optical shutter;
• means for controlling the percent exposure of the optical reference to the optical detection apparatus;
• optionally, a means to monitor the temperature of a reaction stage of the clinical analytical system;
• and
• an algorithm or method that controls the rate at which the optical reference is selectively revealed to the optical detection apparatus, said algorithm or method being selected as to simulate the reaction rates of one or more levels of clinical analytes reacting with a test reagent.