QMini: A Portable Device for Infectious Disease Testing

Widespread testing identifies infectious diseases early and reduces silent transmission. The large size of devices for testing limits their use in the field. We developed a portable device that miniaturizes nucleic acid testing: the QMini. The QMini simplified a fluidic module using direct connections between pumps and reaction chambers. It shielded an optical module from ambient light with a 3D-printed enclosure. We applied the QMini to detect synthetic nucleic acid sequences of respiratory syncytial virus B, SARS-CoV-2, and influenza A with a bead-based assay using quantum dot barcodes. The QMini detected 500 copies of respiratory syncytial virus B, 500 copies of SARS-CoV-2, and 1,000 copies of influenza A. We observed limited cross-reactivity in the QMini with six nontarget viral nucleic acid sequences. The QMini advances the portability of nucleic acid testing using quantum dot barcodes through device miniaturization.