ABSTRACT
The Autonomous Pathogen Detection System (APDS) collects, prepares, reads, analyzes, and reports results of multiplexed immunoassays and multiplexed polymerase chain reaction assays using Luminex xMAP technology and flow cytometer. The APDS was developed for high-risk locations to reach the best-achievable combination of competing characteristics such as speed, selectivity, sensitivity, numbers of agents, and cost. The APDS instrument will be of interest to readers because the analytical core of the instrument is a flow cytometer. The fundamental mission of pathogen detection systems is to provide information that saves lives. The compact flow cytometer is one subsystem in the larger system which includes aerosol collection, biological reagents, sample preparation, result analysis, field packaging, communications, maintenance support, and remote monitoring. In addition to the core process steps of collect, prepare, read, analyze, and report, the system engineering must include functions to sustain these processes.
