Combination of reader and incubator

Abstract

A detection arrangement for detecting presence of an analyte in a sample includes a processor, a memory, a display, a color measuring device, and a temperature controller for maintaining a constant temperature or a temperature profile of the sample. A method is also provided for determining the presence or absence of an analyte in a fluid by analysis of image data from an assay that generates an image result on an assay medium

1 . A detection arrangement for detecting presence of an analyte in a sample, comprising a processor, a memory, a display, a color measuring device, and means for maintaining a constant temperature or a temperature profile of said sample, said memory, said display and said color measuring device being arranged to communicate with said processor, said color measuring device being arranged to generate light signals, to send said light signals to said sample, to receive return light signals from said sample, to convert said return light signals into color signals and to send said color signals to said processor, said processor being operated by instructions stored in said memory and being arranged to calculate a value of a composite parameter Z in accordance with a following equation: 
       
         
           
             
               Z 
               = 
               
                 
                   ∑ 
                   
                     i 
                     = 
                     1 
                   
                   n 
                 
                  
                 
                   
                     w 
                     i 
                   
                    
                   
                     x 
                     i 
                   
                 
               
             
           
         
       
       where x i  is a color signal i and w i  is a corresponding weighing factor and i is an index ranging from 1 to n and n is an integer equal to the number of color signals. 
     
     
         2 . The detection arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein said means for maintaining a constant temperature or a temperature profile is a device made from metal comprising apertures. 
     
     
         3 . The detection arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein said color measuring device is arranged to receive reflected return light signals from said sample and to convert said reflected return light signals into color signals.