Optical Chip Handles Imaging and Bioanalysis

Terry Costlow, Contributing Editor -- Design News, July 14, 2008

When the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is doing the judging, even the compact cameras in cell phones are too large. DARPA wants to combine biosensors with integrated printed optoelectronics in what it calls Printed Diagnostic Arrays.

Next-generation portable diagnostic systems need to efficiently perform multi-parameter measurements of tiny amounts of fluid samples. However, the commercialization of such mobile applications has been hampered by the expensive and bulky CCD cameras, and other optical readout equipment now make that impossible. Bioident Technologies Inc. is working with the U.S. Naval Research Lab. to develop organic photodiodes that can replace the CCD camera and lens system.

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