Hand-held detector aims to diagnose disease
August 27, 2010 | Source: New Scientist Tech
Credit-card-sized sample trays inserted in a modem-sized reader hold antibody-coated polystyrene beads containing a fluorescent label. The antibodies interact with specific disease markers, causing the beads to clump together, quickly producing a strong red fluorescence under UV light from an LED. That glow is picked up by a built-in light detector based on low-cost photodiode technology.
They are aiming for a sub-$100 breast-cancer screening test, which is much cheaper than mammography.