The Glutector ©, our primary device, is intended to detect and measure how much gluten is present in any food sample given to it. The Glutector is comprised of three separate parts:
1) Test Strip
2) The Black Box
3) Smartphone App
Each part performs a specific function, but are assembled together when a test is conducted and deliver results in under two minutes.
Test Strip
Dissolved food in solution is placed at the mouth of the disposable test strip, and functions much like a home pregnancy test. As the liquid flows down the strip, any gluten molecules present are labelled by a special fluorescent marker. These then attach to a narrow test and control line, visibly seen as two orange lines. Later, once results are given, the test strip can be cheaply discarded and replaced.
The Black Box
The fluorescent marker can be easily excited at particular wavelengths of light. To enhance this and omit any external light sources, the test strip is inserted into a black box. The intense orange light will travel through a lens and into the camera of a smartphone. The black box will be able to slide onto a specially designed smartphone case.
Smartphone App
Using an app created just for The Glutector ©, orange light entering the smartphone’s lens is measured for how intense it is. Differences in the signal’s strength correspond with different concentrations of gluten. Finally, the intensity is converted into parts per million (ppm) and displayed on the smartphone’s screen with our app.