Measuring the Invisible is a diagnostic test concept developed by Okos Diagnostics and designer Luis Fernando Barrios. Measuring the Invisible is designed to detect microplastics in biological samples using a biodegradable testing device. The concept uses a vertical-flow testing system that produces a color response based on the presence and concentration of microplastic particles. Results appear as a pattern of colored dots, with darker and denser markings indicating higher contamination levels.
The device housing is made from biodegradable materials developed by Okos Diagnostics and is designed for compatibility with existing manufacturing methods. The project replaces conventional plastic-heavy test components with renewable materials while maintaining a familiar medical-device format. The concept focuses on reducing waste generated by disposable diagnostic products and addresses growing concerns about microplastic exposure in the human body.
Biodegradable Test Kits
Measuring the Invisible Detects Microplastics with Biodegradable Materials
Trend Themes
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Biodegradable Diagnostics — The shift toward fully compostable assay components creates potential for single-use tests that eliminate plastic waste across clinical and at-home screening applications.
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Microplastic Biomonitoring — Growing demand for quantifying human exposure to microplastics suggests new markets for sensitive, low-cost tests that map contamination levels in biological samples.
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Vertical-flow Colorimetric Testing — Adoption of vertical-flow formats that yield rapid, pattern-based visual readouts indicates opportunities for portable diagnostics that deliver semiquantitative contamination profiles without complex instrumentation.
Industry Implications
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Medical Diagnostics — A move away from plastic-heavy disposables could enable diagnostic product lines that combine clinical performance with end-of-life biodegradability to reduce hospital and home medical waste.
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Environmental Testing — Landscape-level monitoring of microplastic pollution may be transformed by compact assays that provide rapid, visually interpretable results for field technicians and citizen scientists.
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Materials Manufacturing — Innovation in renewable, performance-grade biomaterials points to new supply chains for biodegradable housings and membranes that meet sterilization and flow characteristics of existing test formats.