Abstract
The evaluation of disposable lab-on-a-chip (LOC) devices on cell phones is an attractive alternative to migrate the analytical strength of LOC solutions to decentralized sensing applications. Imaging the micrometric detection areas of LOCs in contact with intact phone cameras is central to provide such capability. This work demonstrates a disposable and morphing liquid lens concept that can be integrated in LOC devices and refocuses micrometric features in the range necessary for LOC evaluation using diverse cell phone cameras. During natural evaporation, the lens focus varies adapting to different type of cameras. Standard software in the phone commands a time-lapse acquisition for best focal selection that is sufficient to capture and resolve, under ambient illumination, 50 μm features in regions larger than 500 × 500 μm2. In this way, the present concept introduces a generic solution compatible with the use of diverse and unmodified cell phone cameras to evaluate disposable LOC devices.
Highlights
Disposable lab-on-a-chip (LOC) devices are an attractive platform for the implementation of compact and robust analytical tests, which minimize sample volumes and simplify the handling of the measurements, both important factors in distributed analyses [1,2]
Adaptive optics is central in autofocusing cameras and can be implemented in different ways [14,15,16,17], but in all cases they are conceived as permanent components
Autofocus cameras in cell phones cannot focus at the short range required for LOC evaluation and an additional optical element should provide this function; a permanent focusing element would introduce an extra component, which would restrict the ubiquity of the solution
Summary
Disposable lab-on-a-chip (LOC) devices are an attractive platform for the implementation of compact and robust analytical tests, which minimize sample volumes and simplify the handling of the measurements, both important factors in distributed analyses [1,2]. Disposable LOC devices have been demonstrated for numerous sensing and clinical applications [3], their dissemination is restricted by the instrumentation required for readout. LOC devices can be disposable and deployable at a large scale, the availability of readers and their specific characteristics restrict the dissemination of analyses based on this technology. If disposable LOC devices could be evaluated using generic and common platforms, such as cell phones, the benefits of this technology could be made ubiquitous
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