The Rise of Camera-Based Detection in Lateral Flow
Lateral flow tests are evolving rapidly — and so are the systems used to interpret them. One key shift is the move toward camera-based readers, which go beyond simply detecting a test line. These systems capture full-strip images, offer digital interpretation, and integrate easily with broader software and connectivity ecosystems, making them central to the next generation of diagnostic devices.
Unlike traditional point detectors, camera-based systems provide complete image data. This enables precise analysis of test and control lines while supporting advanced features like barcode scanning, result archiving, automated interpretation, and multi-analyte detection. Together, these capabilities make camera-based readers highly adaptable for modern, connected diagnostic workflows.
Limits of Colorimetric Detection in High-Sensitivity Applications
Most current camera-based systems rely on colorimetric detection using gold nanoparticles or latex beads. While proven and robust, this approach can struggle when ultra-sensitive detection is required. Low analyte concentrations make signal quantification more difficult, and variability in background can affect result accuracy.
Fluorescence as a Solution to Greater Sensitivity
To overcome these limitations, many developers turn to fluorescent detection. Fluorescence offers stronger signals, broader dynamic range, and greater consistency — often improving sensitivity five- to tenfold over colorimetric methods. However, conventional fluorescence systems can be expensive and complex, requiring narrow-band filters, high-end optics, and precise control of lighting — often at odds with the simplicity of camera-based platforms.
Where Europium Changes the Game
Europium-based fluorescence presents a practical alternative. Europium chelates offer a large spectral gap between excitation (typically UV) and emission (around 615 nm), making it easier to isolate the fluorescent signal from background light using straightforward optics.
Because of this, europium can be incorporated into camera-based readers with only modest hardware changes — such as adding a UV excitation source and a basic emission filter. The camera sensor itself can remain unchanged. This makes it possible to retain the flexibility, scalability, and simplicity of a camera-based design while dramatically boosting analytical performance.
Europium also enables time-resolved fluorescence (TRF). Thanks to its long emission lifetime, the system can wait briefly after excitation before capturing the signal. This time delay lets background fluorescence fade, improving signal-to-noise ratio — and again, without requiring expensive or highly sensitive detectors.
So What’s the Takeaway?
Europium fluorescence acts as a bridge: delivering the enhanced sensitivity and reliability of fluorescence while keeping the design and cost advantages of camera-based platforms. It unlocks greater performance without demanding a complete redesign of the reader hardware.
As point-of-care diagnostics face rising demands for accuracy, connectivity, and ease of use, camera-based systems enhanced with europium fluorescence are uniquely positioned to meet those needs — combining advanced detection capabilities with practical, scalable deployment.
Want to know how this could fit into your workflow? Get in touch — we’d be happy to help you explore the possibilities.