A SAW‐Based Programmable Controlled RNA Detecting Device: Rapid In Situ Cytolysis‐RNA Capture‐RNA Release‐PCR in One Mini Chamber

Abstract Viral RNA detection is crucial in preventing and treating early infectious diseases. Traditional methods of RNA detection require a large amount of equipment and technical personnel. In this study, proposed a programmable controlled surface acoustic wave (SAW)‐based RNA detecting device has been proposed. The proposed device can perform the entire viral RNA detection process, including cell lysis by cell‐microparticle collision through SAW‐induced liquid whirling, RNA capture by SAW‐suspended magnetic beads, RNA elution through SAW‐induced high streaming force, and PCR thermal cycling through SAW‐generated heat. The device has completed all RNA detection steps in one mini chamber, requiring only 489 µl reagents for RNA extraction, much smaller than the amount used in manual RNA extraction (2065 µl). The experimental results have shown that PCR results from the device are comparable to those achieved via commercial qPCR instrumental detection. This work has demonstrated the potential of SAW‐based lab‐on‐a‐chip devices for point‐of‐care testing and provided a novel approach for rapidly detecting infectious diseases.