Automated smartphone based cell analysis platform
NPJ Imaging, vol.3, no.1, 2025 (Scopus)
- Publication Type: Article / Article
- Volume: 3 Issue: 1
- Publication Date: 2025
- Doi Number: 10.1038/s44303-025-00093-z
- Journal Name: NPJ Imaging
- Journal Indexes: Scopus
- Dokuz Eylül University Affiliated: Yes
Abstract
Cell analysis technologies play a critical role in biomedical research, enabling precise evaluation of essential parameters such as cell viability, density, and confluency. In this article, we introduce Quantella, a smartphone-based platform designed to perform comprehensive cell analysis encompassing these key metrics. Addressing limitations of conventional systems, such as high cost, hardware complexity, and limited adaptability, Quantella integrates low-cost optics, a rinsable flow cell, bluetooth-enabled hardware control, and a cloud-connected mobile application. Its adaptive image-processing pipeline employs multi-exposure fusion, thresholding, and morphological filtering for accurate, morphology-independent segmentation without requiring deep learning or user-defined parameters. System validation studies across diverse cell types showed deviations under 5% from flow cytometry. With the capacity to analyze over 10,000 cells per test, Quantella delivers high-throughput, reproducible results. Its accessible, scalable design makes it a promising tool for biomedical research, diagnostics, and education, particularly in resource-limited settings.