A robust, portable and reliable test lab based on the novel molecular test processing method developed at SciLifeLab. The device facilitating the verified method* allows for rapid high-volume testing at the Point of Care. The product is being developed for use in low resource settings, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and the results presented here are an iteration for the same.
LabonDisc
a portable Point of Care COVID testing device
*As the product is based on the novel method developed at ScilIfeLab, some technical details have not been mentioned in the documentation here.
The project was done as a part of Master studies at KTH, for the Advanced Design Engineering course. The problem statement was presented by a research group at SciLifeLab, Science for Life Laboratory, an institution for the advancement of molecular biosciences in Sweden It is funded as a national research infrastructure by the Swedish government.
The brief was to find a suitable method of satisfying the heating requirements of the process and integrating remaining technical challenges into a product concept which is suitable for use in its context. This involved exploring usability aspects to make the process as user friendly as possible.
COVID-19 test journey mapping
A robust, portable and reliable test lab based on the LabOnDisc processing method developed at SciLifeLab. The device facilitating the verified method allows for rapid high-volume testing with little equipment. The product is being developed for use in low resource settings, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and the results here are an iteration for the same.
Design Space
Fatigue proof
Avoid repetitive strain
User feedback
Conversational interface
Staightforward to learn and teach
Easy to source and distribute
Adaptable for different environments
Context: Point of Care
Primary users: Nurses
Secondary users: Supervisior
Tertiary users: Management
Safe to use
Aid reliability of results
Complex, not complicated
Robust
Portable
Design for all levels of (in)experience
The product has to be designed for point of care diagnosis which presents the need for the product to be adaptable and robust. The critical steps had to be kept in focus to ensure the reliability of tests. The research brought out that the primary users can vary and so can their experience and technical soundness. Generally, nurses work at the grass-root level who are given basic training. The idea is to design so that no pre-requisite knowledge is needed to operate it yet it should be designed to such that it can easily be complemented with a manual and training. The tertiary users being the manufacturers and the dissemination team would like the product easy to distribute.
Concept
Two separate units- a Processing unit integrates heating and centrifuging, containing one module for each phase. A water bath with automatic temperature control ensures correct and uniform heating of the disc. The Imaging unit is separate, dedicated to efficient photographing of the sample with a stepper motor control which allows quick systematic imaging of each sample.
A custom disc-insert that facilitates quick and easy transfer of the disc between modules, fastening itself to matching mounts. It also unifies the user’s interactions across modules despite their differing functions. As it prevents direct contact with the disc, it helps maintain the optical clarity of the disc required for imaging
A snap-fit mount for centrifuging unit to ensure a quick secure connection
Mount for Imaging unit with
a key for aligning the disc at sample 1
Basic heighted mount for quick insertion and removal for the heating unit
The insert slots into the disc with a press fit.
Easy to grab flanges to lift and transfer the disc between modules.
Heating
Centrifuging
Imaging
Fast and uniform heating
Digital temperature controller
Critical: Quick disc insertion and removal
No water contact: Submersion mechanism
Snap-fit for safe rotation
Transparent lid window
Universal mount: no-slip surface
Precise sample alignment
Easy interface
Numbered channels on the disc and reinforced tracing with the display
Interface
The interface has been kept very simple. Both the interface panels have been angled to facilitate operation both while sitting and standing. There are three components in the processing unit interface: one pair of buttons with white or amber backlight, a display and a set of four LEDs. Limiting the amount of information displayed at any given time frees the user’s attention to focus on the crucial steps. The backlight guides the user in the process and LEDs are to catch attention to alert the user. The imaging unit interface has forward-backwards arrow buttons to traverse through the samples and the sample number is displayed to help the user and aid error reduction.
Prototping and user feedback
As a basis for user feedback and future developments, a 1:1 size prototype of the final concept was built. It consists of the demonstrational processing unit and semi-working imaging unit, the disc insert and the accompanying mounts in the modules.
We tried to create a de-centralised setting and the user was asked to use the prototype wearing gloves. The major thing to be tested was the interaction with the insert and ease of moving the disc. That met our expectations. There was some difficulty reported in operating the phone with the gloves. The overall time to take images of 30 samples was less than 5 minutes.
Process
Literature research
Understanding context
User journey mapping
Defining Product design specifications
Ideation
Concept archetype evaluation
Prototyping and exploration
Design for Manufacturing and Assembly
Design guidelines and form design
Prototyping and user feedback
Research and Experiments for selecting heating method
Concept Development
Insert and mounts design
Interface design
The proposed concept fulfils all key technical specifications required for the sample processing in a compact unit which is highly user friendly. The concept does not integrate all of the modules into one unit. This decision does not inflict major concessions on part of the user, as the most critical steps are integrated into one unit. This grants some additional freedom to the user to arrange the imaging process in a different workspace.
The ideal scenario would be to have a sample in - answer out unit, one of the major steps in the direction would be to create a single unit that houses all three modules. An integrated camera in the imaging module would allow it to meet the above-mentioned goal but also make the system easier to use and more accurate.
Team: Ali Hamada, Anubhuti Gupta, Oscar Sjöstrand, Pete Parlour
Major tasks: Project Management, Literature research, Calculations, User journey mapping, Detail design, Prototyping
Duration: September 2020- November 2020