Optics innovation from Sagentia Innovation helps take portable Fingerprint Drug Testing into new medical diagnostic testing areas

CAMBRIDGE, England, April 22, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Advanced optical engineering has enabled the UK manufacturer of a fingerprint drug testing solution to streamline manufacture and reduce the size and weight of its sample reader. This has also enabled the business to make inroads to other areas of medical diagnostic testing.

Intelligent Fingerprinting appointed Sagentia Innovation to optimise its sample reader device, improving the user experience and broadening potential use cases. New applications include a rapid, non-invasive drug screening system and a Covid-19 antigen test development project. Sagentia Innovation’s optical engineers identified a new way to read samples, involving a camera, mirrors and filters rather than a scanning system.

The engineering team eradicated moving parts and delivered further benefits related to size, weight and performance. At 980g, the new DSR-Plus reader is portable, it also has storage capacity for 300 tests and its battery supports up to eight hours’ operation. It has an intuitive user interface and adheres to medical-grade quality procedures surrounding documentation and controls.

“We used our optics knowledge to rethink how sample cartridges are read,” explained Sagentia Innovation’s CTO Nick Collier. “The previous model was heavier and less portable which limited usage scenarios. The new approach is simple, effective and compact, making the device efficient, user-friendly and suitable for a wider range of applications.”

Intelligent Fingerprinting’s drug testing system analyses sweat from fingerprints to screen for specific drugs and drug metabolites. Unlike traditional drug screening tests, it doesn’t require collection of saliva or urine samples which can be unhygienic, time-consuming and undignified. The DRS-Plus reader is used in safety-critical work environments such as construction and transport as well as drug rehabilitation services and specialist applications like detecting drug mules at airports.

Philip Hand, Executive Chairman at Intelligent Fingerprinting, says: “With Sagentia Innovation’s help, we’ve made fingerprint drug testing an even more versatile and compelling alternative to conventional test methods. Our DSR-Plus reader is already helping us make inroads into new sectors and additional international markets. For example, we’re able to conduct testing in a safer, socially-distanced environment – benefiting both the operator and the person being tested. As we develop into other key areas of medical diagnostics, the DSR-Plus will also be an important tool in bringing multiple tests to market. As well as bringing advanced optical engineering skills to the table, Sagentia Innovation worked quickly and effectively, driving focused and high-value improvements to the device within a challenging timeline.”

Sagentia Innovation: https://www.sagentiainnovation.com/

Intelligent Fingerprinting: https://www.intelligentfingerprinting.com/ 

About Sagentia Innovation

Sagentia Innovation provides independent advisory and leading-edge product development services focused on science and technology initiatives. Working across the medical, industrial, chemicals and energy, food and beverage, and consumer sectors, Sagentia Innovation works with a broad range of companies from some of the world’s leading and best-known brands, to start-up disruptors, new to the market. It is part of Science Group (AIM:SAG), which has more than ten offices globally, two UK-based dedicated R&D innovation centres and more than 400 employees. Other Science Group companies include Leatherhead Food Research, TSG Consulting and Frontier Smart Technologies.

www.sagentiainnovation.com

About Intelligent Fingerprinting

Intelligent Fingerprinting’s portable Drug Screening System works by analysing fingerprint sweat. It is non-invasive, fast and cost-effective, with sample collection taking seconds and simultaneous screening for multiple drug groups in ten minutes. A laboratory confirmation service is also available.

The system has applications within many sectors and customers include employers in safety-critical industries such as construction, transport and logistics firms, drug treatment and family safeguarding organisations, as well as UK coroners. The company has distributors across the globe, including the USA.

Founded in 2007, Intelligent Fingerprinting is a spin-out company from the University of East Anglia (UEA).  The company is based in Cambridge, England and employs around 40 people. www.intelligentfingerprinting.com 

Twitter @iFingerprinting

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SOURCE Sagentia Innovation