Miniaturized, high numerical aperture confocal fluorescence detection enhanced with pyroelectric droplet accumulation for sub-attomole analyte diagnosis.

To meet the growing demand for early fatal disease screening among large populations, current fluorescence detection instruments aiming at point-of-care diagnosis have the tendency to be low cost and high sensitivity, with a high potential for the analysis of low-volume, multiplex analytes with easy operation. In this work, we present the development of a miniaturized, high numerical aperture confocal fluorescence scanner for sub-micro-liter fluid diagnosis. It is enhanced with high-rate analyte accumulation using a pyroelectro-hydrodynamic dispensing system for generating tiny, stable sample droplets.

Evaluation of MEMS NIR Spectrometers for On-Farm Analysis of Raw Milk Composition.

Today, measurement of raw milk quality and composition relies on Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to monitor and improve dairy production and cow health. However, these laboratory analyzers are bulky, expensive and can only be used by experts. Moreover, the sample logistics and data transfer delay the information on product quality, and the measures taken to optimize the care and feeding of the cattle render them less suitable for real-time monitoring.