Design criteria for portable point-of-care breath analysis systems

Mobile health diagnostic systems are currently in development for many clinical applications, with special emphasis on non-invasive or minimally-invasive technologies. One very promising area of research focuses on measuring trace metabolites and other chemicals identified in exhaled breath. There are many potential clinical applications of these systems, and these instruments will have unique engineering demands for system performance. In this paper, we outline the overall requirements we believe need to be overcome for breath testing to enter routine mainstream medical practice in future years.