Smartphone-based "monitoring workstation" for contamination-free and on-site colorimetric detection of living cells.

A smartphone-based "monitoring workstation" (SMW) for living cells has been developed, which is coupled with an independent complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor and is compatible with any smartphone for rapid determination through digital image colorimetry (DIC). This SMW system encompasses multifunctional modules, such as high-quality image acquisition, synchronous data storage, wireless transmission, and automated data analysis. Our focus has been on routine and labor-intensive cell detection tasks, including cell viability, protein quantification, and lipid measurement, which can be achieved rapidly on-site with a custom-developed software installed in a smartphone. Consequently, this SMW system offers a promising platform for colorimetric point-of-care test (POCT) that is rapid, simple, cost-effective, and highly accurate, and it is not limited to any particular type or brand of smartphone.