Scholarlink

<p>This study aims to design, fabricate, and evaluate a portable incubator tailored for onsite microbiological testing in low-resource and remote environments. The primary objective is to address the challenge of maintaining stable incubation temperatures, crucial for accurate microbial analysis in the field. The incubator incorporates an ESP32, a DHT22 temperature sensor, and a 50&#xa0;W DC PTC heater, integrated with proportional–integral–derivative (PID) control to ensure temperature stability within ± 0.5&#xa0;°C. The system supports real-time monitoring via Bluetooth, and the power unit converts 220&#xa0;V AC to the required DC voltages. Performance tests were conducted to assess the incubator’s ability to maintain stable temperatures of 37 ± 0.18&#xa0;°C, ensuring reliable microbial growth. The incubator demonstrated stable temperature regulation, yielding microbial growth results comparable to standard laboratory incubators. Field tests in Cambodia confirmed its effectiveness in detecting microbial contamination, including <i>Escherichia coli</i>. Experimental validation (<i>n</i> = 48 trials) demonstrated temperature stability of 37.0 ± 0.18&#xa0;°C (mean ± SD) over 24&#xa0;h, with a rise time of 4.2&#xa0;min, a settling time of 8.7&#xa0;min, and an overshoot &lt; 1.5%. Microbiological validation using <i>E. coli</i> showed colony counts within 1.2% ± 0.4% of reference incubator results (<i>p</i> = 0.34, two-tailed <i>t</i> test). Power consumption averaged 12.3&#xa0;W under continuous operation, enabling &gt; 8&#xa0;h runtime on a 100 Wh portable battery. Its portability and affordability make it an effective solution for onsite microbiological testing in remote areas lacking laboratory infrastructure. This study introduces a cost-effective tool for public health and environmental monitoring, leveraging modern technology to improve access to reliable water quality testing in underserved regions, potentially reducing waterborne disease incidence.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Revolutionizing onsite microbial testing with a PID-controlled portable incubator for remote and resource-limited areas

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年6月16日

查看全文
  • Daejeong Yang,
  • Hakyoon Kim,
  • Minjung Song,
  • Sathishkumar Veerappampalayam Easwaramoorthy,
  • Dongjin Choi,
  • Johny Renoald Albert,
  • Dishore Shunmugham Vanaja

摘要

This study aims to design, fabricate, and evaluate a portable incubator tailored for onsite microbiological testing in low-resource and remote environments. The primary objective is to address the challenge of maintaining stable incubation temperatures, crucial for accurate microbial analysis in the field. The incubator incorporates an ESP32, a DHT22 temperature sensor, and a 50 W DC PTC heater, integrated with proportional–integral–derivative (PID) control to ensure temperature stability within ± 0.5 °C. The system supports real-time monitoring via Bluetooth, and the power unit converts 220 V AC to the required DC voltages. Performance tests were conducted to assess the incubator’s ability to maintain stable temperatures of 37 ± 0.18 °C, ensuring reliable microbial growth. The incubator demonstrated stable temperature regulation, yielding microbial growth results comparable to standard laboratory incubators. Field tests in Cambodia confirmed its effectiveness in detecting microbial contamination, including Escherichia coli. Experimental validation (n = 48 trials) demonstrated temperature stability of 37.0 ± 0.18 °C (mean ± SD) over 24 h, with a rise time of 4.2 min, a settling time of 8.7 min, and an overshoot < 1.5%. Microbiological validation using E. coli showed colony counts within 1.2% ± 0.4% of reference incubator results (p = 0.34, two-tailed t test). Power consumption averaged 12.3 W under continuous operation, enabling > 8 h runtime on a 100 Wh portable battery. Its portability and affordability make it an effective solution for onsite microbiological testing in remote areas lacking laboratory infrastructure. This study introduces a cost-effective tool for public health and environmental monitoring, leveraging modern technology to improve access to reliable water quality testing in underserved regions, potentially reducing waterborne disease incidence.