Market Assessment of PLUM: A camera-based multimode electronic reader system

PLUM 的市场评估：基于摄像头的多模式电子阅读器系统

• 批准号: 545076-2019
• 负责人: Pardee, Keith
• 金额: $ 1.09万
• 依托单位: University of Toronto
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Idea to Innovation
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2019-01-01 至 2020-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=675594
• 关键词: Market; Assessment; PLUM; camera; based

Optical instrumentation for measurement and material characterization has become common place in settings ranging from manufacturing to the food industry to clinical labs. A key tool for optical measurement is the plate reader, which provides large-scale parallel measurement in a number of modes (e.g. absorbance, fluorescence). Imaging systems have also become standard equipment in a large number of similar environments and are heavily used in research labs (e.g. Western blot, protein/DNA gels). Despite the relatively widespread use of these instruments, their high cost and bulky/non-portable design have limited broad access to optical characterization.As we discovered as part of field work for diagnostics (Zika) trials in Latin America, there are currently no commercial options for low-cost and portable optical quantification and characterization. To meet these needs, we developed a camera-based device that we call "PLUM", which is essentially a lab-in-a-box that serves as a low-cost plate reader and imaging system. Our unique analysis method requires less components to operate compared to conventional absorbance mode readers. The combined hardware and software unit provides a self-contained, automated and easy-to-use system for broad applications and includes onboard data collection and analysis, incubation, cloud-based data storage (via Wi-Fi) and is capable of 8-9 hours of battery-operation. When coupled with assays of interest, our platform device can be used to detect variety of substances in fields ranging from diagnostics, agriculture to border security. Multiple copies of PLUM have been successfully deployed in Toronto, Ecuador, Brazil and Colombia for research purposes. This is an application for an I2I Market Assessment grant to reach out to the field and potential customers in order to identify ideal target markets and pain points that will inform and articulate the value proposition and market entry strategy for the successful commercialization of our technology.

用于测量和材料表征的光学仪器已成为从制造业到食品工业再到临床实验室的常见场所。 光学测量的一个关键工具是酶标仪，它可以在多种模式下进行大规模并行测量（例如吸光度、荧光）。 成像系统也已成为大量类似环境中的标准设备，并大量用于研究实验室（例如Western印迹，蛋白质/DNA凝胶）。 尽管这些仪器的使用相对广泛，但其高成本和笨重/非便携式设计限制了光学表征的广泛使用。正如我们在拉丁美洲诊断（寨卡）试验现场工作的一部分所发现的那样，目前没有低成本和便携式光学定量和表征的商业选择。 为了满足这些需求，我们开发了一种基于摄像头的设备，我们称之为“PLUM”，它本质上是一个盒子里的实验室，用作低成本的平板阅读器和成像系统。 与传统的吸光度模式读取器相比，我们独特的分析方法需要更少的元件。 硬件和软件相结合的单元为广泛的应用提供了一个独立的，自动化的和易于使用的系统，包括机载数据收集和分析，孵化，基于云的数据存储（通过Wi-Fi），并能够8-9小时的电池操作。 当与感兴趣的检测相结合时，我们的平台设备可用于检测从诊断、农业到边境安全等领域的各种物质。已在多伦多、厄瓜多尔、巴西和哥伦比亚成功部署了多个PLUM副本，用于研究目的。这是一份I2 I市场评估资助申请，旨在接触现场和潜在客户，以确定理想的目标市场和痛点，从而为我们的技术成功商业化提供信息和阐明价值主张和市场进入战略。