Point-of-care diagnostic cartridge having a digital micro-fluidic testing substrate

Abstract

A specimen delivery cartridge includes a lower housing, and an upper housing. The upper housing is coupled to the lower housing at a hinge. The specimen delivery cartridge further comprises a testing chamber comprising a paper testing substrate. The paper testing substrate may include a wicking conduit and a plurality of test areas. The specimen delivery cartridge may also include a lens assembly proximate the plurality of test areas and operable to transmit light emissions from the plurality of test areas to an image sensor of a computing device. In some embodiments, the specimen delivery cartridge includes a testing substrate having a plurality of test areas made of an array of electrodes. Each electrode is printed on a first side of the testing substrate and coupled to a conductive via formed in the testing substrate and a conductive trace printed on a second, opposing side of the testing substrate.

1 . A specimen delivery cartridge having a testing substrate comprising a plurality of test areas, the plurality of test areas comprising an array of electrodes, wherein:
 each electrode is printed on a first side of the testing substrate,   each electrode is coupled to a conductive via formed in the testing substrate; and   each conductive via is coupled to one of a plurality of conductive traces printed on a second, opposing side of the testing substrate.   
     
     
         2 . The specimen delivery cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the testing substrate comprises a paper substrate. 
     
     
         3 . The specimen delivery cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the testing substrate comprises a flexible paper substrate that is operable to receive a digital microfluidic circuit. 
     
     
         4 . The specimen delivery cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein each column of electrodes overlies each of the conductive traces coupled to the electrodes in the column. 
     
     
         5 . The specimen delivery cartridge of  claim 1 , further comprising an electronic connector, wherein the electronic connector comprises a rigid material and a portion of the testing substrate wrapped around an extension of the rigid material. 
     
     
         6 . The specimen delivery cartridge of  claim 5 , wherein each of the conductive traces extends around the extension of the rigid material to form a pin of the electronic connector. 
     
     
         7 . The specimen delivery cartridge of  claim 6 , wherein the electronic connector comprises a connector selected from the group consisting of a USB connector, a micro-USB connector, and a mini-USB connector. 
     
     
         8 . A method for manufacturing a specimen delivery cartridge testing substrate for use in a specimen delivery cartridge, the method comprising:
 printing a plurality of electrodes on a first side of the testing substrate with a conductive ink;   filling a plurality of holes in the testing substrate adjacent each electrode with the conductive ink to form a via through the substrate to each of the plurality of electrodes; and   printing a plurality of conductive traces on a second, opposing side of the testing substrate, where each of the conductive traces is electrically coupled to a via.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein printing a plurality of electrodes comprises printing an array of electrodes. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein each column in the array of electrodes overlies each of the conductive traces coupled to the electrodes in the column. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising forming an electronic connector, by wrapping the testing substrate about a connector extension, the connector extension comprising a rigid connector substrate. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein each of the conductive traces extends around the extension of the rigid connector substrate to form a pin of the electronic connector. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the electronic connector comprises a connector selected from the group consisting of a USB connector, a micro-USB connector, and a mini-USB connector. 
     
     
         14 . A method of analyzing a test specimen using a specimen delivery cartridge, the method comprising:
 interacting a plurality of magnetic particles with a test specimen in a specimen delivery chamber to form magnetic test particles;   immobilizing the magnetic test particles;   removing a supernatant fluid while maintaining the magnetic test particles in an immobilized state;   releasing the magnetic test particles from the immobilized state; and   adding a fluid to the specimen delivery chamber to form a test solution comprising the magnetic test particles.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein immobilizing the magnetic test particles comprises applying a magnetic field across a chamber comprising the test solution. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein applying a magnetic field comprises activating an electromagnet. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising moving the test solution from the specimen delivery chamber to a testing substrate comprising a plurality of test areas, the plurality of test areas comprising an array of electrodes, wherein:
 each electrode is printed on a first side of the testing substrate,   each electrode is coupled to a conductive via formed in the testing substrate; and   each conductive via is coupled to one of a plurality of conductive traces printed on a second, opposing side of the testing substrate.