The use of the simplex method for the optimisation of non-linear functions on a laboratory microcomputer

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Computational Chemistry
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Microcomputer adoption for laboratory analytical data processing is rising.
• Existing computational methods may lack precision for microcomputer implementation.
• Need for precise data processing techniques on resource-limited microcomputers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce the simplex method for analytical data processing on 8-bit microcomputers.
• To demonstrate the suitability of the simplex method for optimizing non-linear functions.
• To apply the simplex method for curve fitting in radioimmunoassay (RIA) and immunoradiometric assay (IRMA).

Main Methods:

• Implementation of the simplex method on an 8-bit microcomputer.
• Non-linear function optimization for curve fitting.
• Application to radioimmunoassay (RIA) and immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) data analysis.

Main Results:

• The simplex method successfully processed analytical data on an 8-bit microcomputer.
• The method provided adequate precision for RIA and IRMA data fitting.
• The developed microcomputer package is functional and validated with laboratory data.

Conclusions:

• The simplex method is a viable and precise technique for microcomputer-based laboratory data processing.
• This approach overcomes precision limitations of traditional methods on microcomputers.
• The validated package is suitable for use in clinical biochemistry laboratories.