Towards a high-precision, embedded system for versatile sensitive biosensing measurements

This paper demonstrates a versatile, high-accuracy, data-acquisition electronic platform for biosensing measurements, capable of collecting minute current and voltage input signals, stemming from various types of amperometric and potentiometric biosensors. The instrument is able to process the incoming analog signals in a digital manner and export them back to the user either as an amplified analog signal or in digital format through a USB 2.0 interface. The proposed system comprises off-the-shelf IC components and a commercially available FPGA-based DSP unit. The performance of the instrumentation platform has been tested initially by means of very small ideal current and voltage signals generated by precise electronic equipments and subsequently has been validated via proof-of-concept experiments with amperometric and potentiometric sensors. The results shown in this paper exhibit potential for integrating specific sections of the proposed instrumentation board with appropriate biosensors, towards developing affordable, yet reliable Point-Of-Care (POC) diagnostic tools for sensitive biochemical measurements.