Team:Hong Kong-CUHK/Tracer

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RNA Aptamer Probe Influenza Detector

Proudly Presented by Team CUHK

Email:

igem18.cu@gmail.com

Address:

CUHK, Sha Tin, NT, Hong Kong

CUHK Igem 2018

Tracer

Tracer is a mobile-phone base fluorometer which is designed to be cheap, convenient and user-friendly for the public. It has the name tracer because firstly, it is designed to catch the fluorescent signal given out by our RNA probe after it encounters influenza virus RNA; and secondly, since the device is intended for the general public in the local community, we hope that through our system we can be able to trace the influenza virus distribution in the local area, and even globally in the future. Through this method it’s hopeful that we can achieve disease control in the larger area.

Optimizaation of Design

Tracer Specification

The Journey of Tracer

Version 1.1

The very beginning one

Add space for filter and battery

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Version 1.2

The one with three major parts

Adjust the light path to parallel

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Version 2.1

The blue one

Shorten the light path for higher light intensity

Add a moveable lens to assist focusing

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Version 2.2

The black one

Change the light path of excitation and emission light to be perpendicular

Make the lens moveable

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Version 3

The relatively small one

Add a place for changeable filter

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Final Version

With user experience improved

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Final Version X

Add shell to that to improve the user experience

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Design

The design of Tracer keeps evolving throughout our process of development.

VERSION 1.1

VERSION 1.2

VERSION 2.1

VERSION 2.2

VERSION 3

FINAL VERSION

FINAL VERSION

Tracer Specification

Optimization

Light path optimization

Light path optimization is one of the main focus of our development since we are trying to measure the fluorescent signal.

• Convert the divergent emission light of LED to parallel using a convex lens.
• (Continued) Due to the variation of every single LED and lens, the lens is designed to be moveable.
• The light path of the excitation light and the emission light is designed to perpendicular so that the excitation light will not cause interference to the emission light, which helps produce a clearer signal.
• Shorten the light path for higher light intensity.

Circuit optimization

A stable circuit supporting the high-power LED is also important!

• Add a LED current stabilizer for more stable performance.
• Add heat sink to prevent overheat and maintain a stable emission wavelength.

Circuit optimization

A stable circuit supporting the high-power LED is also important!

• Add a LED current stabilizer for more stable performance.
• Add heat sink to prevent overheat and maintain a stable emission wavelength.

Mechanical optimization

• The design of clip and magnet for convenience and better photo quality.
• Adding a moveable lens to assist focusing.

User experience optimization

Since our target users are the general public, the user experience also of great importance.

• The design of the soft shell outside for better user experience

Cost optimization