Design and prototype of an information system for polymerase chain reaction inspection

Abstract

The spread of the new coronavirus (COVID-19) has revealed that only a small number of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests can be performed per day in Japan. This study aims to develop a novel, flexible, and continuous testing system for new mutant strains and unknown viruses that may occur in the future. In this paper, we have analyzed the current problems related to the information system overseeing PCR testing, described the ideal system configuration, and designed and prototyped an inspection information system. The experimental results showed that the proposed inspection information system could import/export inspection information and manage the inspection process. Future studies may be performed to integrate the proposed inspection information system into the inspection process for a more comprehensive evaluation.