Igloo Reader Pro.
The science behind the device.
Igloo Reader Pro is a compact, all-in-one diagnostic reader engineered to bring reliable quantitative and qualitative testing to point-of-care environments. It supports a wide range of assay formats - from traditional lateral flow tests to advanced microarray panels - by combining multiple optical detection technologies within a single device.
By integrating automated calibration, advanced imaging, and digital data export, Igloo Reader Pro delivers consistent analytical performance outside of central laboratories, allowing healthcare professionals to obtain fast, objective, quantifiable results wherever reliable rapid testing is needed.
The Igloo Reader Pro deployes several advanced technologies in one device.
Self-check in Igloo Reader Pro
Before each measurement, Igloo Reader Pro runs an automatic self-check routine to ensure stable optical conditions and reliable readout. This process includes an automatic camera pre-adjustment so that every test is captured under consistent imaging settings, independent of ambient conditions or small device-to-device variations.
Lateral flow assay in Igloo Reader Pro
Lateral flow assays are widely used in point-of-care testing due to their simplicity and speed. A liquid sample migrates across a membrane by capillary action, forming visible test and control signals.
Igloo Reader Pro captures these signals and applies digital analysis to enable consistent qualitative and quantitative interpretation, reducing subjectivity associated with visual reading.
Microarray (dot-based) assays in Igloo Reader Pro
Microarray technology extends lateral flow principles by replacing lines with arrays of discrete dots, allowing multiple analytes to be measured simultaneously on a single test cassette.
This dot-based architecture enables multiplex testing, efficient use of reagents, and compact assay design. Igloo Reader Pro’s algorithms are optimized to detect and quantify these complex dot patterns with high precision, supporting advanced panels such as allergy profiling or combined biomarker tests.
Colorimetric detection in Igloo Reader Pro
Colorimetric detection is one of the most widely used technologies in point-of-care diagnostics. In these assays, an antigen-antibody reaction produces a visible color change, with signal intensity correlating to the concentration of the target analyte.
Rather than relying on visual interpretation, Igloo Reader Pro measures light absorption in the test and control regions, improving objectivity and reducing variability. Colorimetric assays are commonly used for applications such as infectious disease testing, drug screening, vitamins, minerals, and other analytes where color intensity reflects test outcome.
Fluorescence detection in Igloo Reader Pro
For applications requiring enhanced analytical sensitivity, Igloo Reader Pro supports fluorescence-based detection. In fluorescence assays, labeled markers absorb light at one wavelength and emit light at a longer wavelength, producing a measurable signal.
By capturing and quantifying this emitted fluorescence, Igloo Reader Pro enables improved sensitivity and signal detection compared to purely colorimetric methods, supporting detection of biomarkers present at lower concentrations.
Dry chemistry integration in Igloo Reader Pro
Igloo Reader Pro supports dry chemistry assays, in which all reagents are embedded in solid form within the test device. The reaction is initiated simply by applying the sample, eliminating liquid reagent handling.
Dry chemistry formats enable streamlined workflows, stable reagent storage, and consistent analytical performance. Igloo Reader Pro’s optical detection and image analysis are designed to work seamlessly with these assays, enabling rapid and reproducible results at the point-of-care.
Thermal control in Igloo Reader Pro
For selected assays, Igloo Reader Pro supports the use of dedicated test adaptors with integrated warming functionality. These adaptors maintain controlled thermal conditions during the test process, helping to ensure optimal reaction performance for temperature-sensitive assays.
By stabilizing assay conditions at the point of measurement, warming adaptors contribute to improved consistency and reliability of results, particularly in decentralized or variable environmental settings.
A unified device for point-of-care diagnostics
By integrating lateral flow, microarray, colorimetric, fluorescence, and dry chemistry technologies within a single compact device, Igloo Reader Pro functions as a flexible diagnostic platform capable of supporting diverse assays on one system.
This unified approach simplifies workflows, promotes consistent result interpretation, and expands access to high-quality diagnostic testing beyond traditional clinical laboratory settings.
References
Budd, J. et al. Lateral flow test engineering and lessons learned from COVID-19. Nat Rev Bioeng 1, 13–31 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44222-022-00007-3
Pickering, S. et al. Comparative performance of SARS-CoV-2 lateral flow antigen tests and association with detection of infectious virus in clinical specimens: a single-centre laboratory evaluation study. The Lancet Microbe, Volume 2, Issue 9, e461 - e471. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2666-5247(21)00143-9
Peto, T. et al. COVID-19: Rapid antigen detection for SARS-CoV-2 by lateral flow assay: A national systematic evaluation of sensitivity and specificity for mass-testing. EClinicalMedicine, Volume 36, 2021, 100924. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2021.100924.
Lu, J. et al. A time-resolved fluorescence lateral flow immunoassay for rapid and quantitative serodiagnosis of Brucella infection in humans. J Pharm Biomed Anal. 2021 Jun 5;200:114071. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpba.2021.114071.
Jiao, X. et al. Lateral Flow Immunoassay Based on Time-Resolved
Fluorescence Microspheres for Rapid and Quantitative Screening CA199 in
Human Serum. Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Sep 1;23(17):9991. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23179991.
Hsiao, W.W.-W. at al. Recent Advances in Novel Lateral Flow Technologies for Detection of COVID-19. Biosensors 2021, 11, 295. https://doi.org/10.3390/bios1109029.
Sena-Torralba, A. et al. Lateral Flow Microimmunoassay (LFµIA) for the Reliable Quantification of Allergen Traces in Food Consumables. Biosensors (Basel). 2022 Nov 7;12(11):980. doi: 10.3390/bios12110980.
Plotnikova, M. et al. Antibody microarray immunoassay for screening and differential diagnosis of upper respiratory tract viral pathogens, Journal of Immunological Methods, Volume 478, 2020, 112712. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jim.2019.112712.
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