An injection-molded focal filter-integrated AI platform for cost-effective and highly sensitive molecular...

The growing global demand for precise and accessible diagnostics underscores the need for decentralized, laboratory-grade molecular testing solutions. Current platforms are hindered by the high cost and fragility of glass optical filters with inorganic thin-film coatings, as well as operational complexity that limits deployment in community and home settings. To overcome these barriers, we developed the WeD-1 Pro, a 290 g molecular point-of-care testing (POCT) system designed for both human and veterinary diagnostics. Through systematic screening of polymer substrates and organic optical filter pigments, tailored phthalocyanine blue exhibited superior 480 nm excitation blocking and optimal 525 nm transmission when incorporated into polycarbonate (PC), making it suitable for injection-molded filter fabrication. Using this optimized formulation, a focal filter was produced via single-step injection molding. By integrating this newly developed focal filter, the platform achieves low-cost, high-performance fluorescence detection. The platform further incorporates an AI-powered assistant and multi-terminal connectivity, providing rapid, cost-effective, and highly sensitive diagnostics suitable for home and primary care use. In a proof-of-concept demonstration of at-home self-testing, when combined with a one-tube/one-step LAMP-CRISPR panel (LOD: 100 copies per reaction) targeting nine common respiratory pathogens, the system achieved 100% concordance with commercial qPCR assays for SARS-CoV-2 and influenza using self-collected at-home swab samples. For veterinary applications, the WeD-1 Pro was deployed in 40 small veterinary clinics across China's Greater Bay Area between December 2024 and September 2025, where it enabled 1000 on-site 7-plex feline respiratory pathogen tests under routine clinical conditions. Overall, 87% of samples were positive for at least one pathogen. A representative subset of 60 clinical samples was further validated against reference PCR, demonstrating 98% concordance. By integrating advanced diagnostic performance with affordability and accessibility, the WeD-1 Pro offers a transformative solution for primary care, home-based healthcare, and future large-scale epidemiological surveillance.