Development of an Affordable and Efficient Phase-Locked Magneto-Optical Malaria Diagnostic System for Precise and Reliable Detection

Abstract

Malaria remains a major global health challenge, necessitating development of more effective, affordable, and accessible diagnostic strategies. Current detection techniques, though widely used, often suffer from high costs, reliance on skilled personnel, low sensitivity, and time-intensive procedures. These limitations hinder early and accurate malaria diagnosis, increasing the risk of severe complications and transmission. We present a novel phase-locked malaria diagnostic system that leverages the magneto-optical properties of hemozoin—a biomarker produced by malaria parasites. The system integrates a laser beam and a rotating magnetic field, generated by an AC motor, to induce and detect hemozoin crystal interactions. The phase-locking mechanism ensures precise synchronization between the AC motor and the monochrome camera, significantly enhancing sensitivity and specificity in hemozoin detection. A feedback control loop stabilizes the AC motor’s speed, maintaining a consistent rotating magnetic field that influences the hemozoin crystals' optical properties. As the field interacts with the crystals, their magneto-optical response is dynamically altered and a highly sensitive optical sensor captures these changes in real-time, allowing for accurate malaria detection. This cost effective and easy to implement approach improves reliability and efficiency of malaria diagnostics while remaining cost-effective and easy to implement. By eliminating the need for expensive reagents and highly trained personnel, this system presents a promising alternative for resource-limited settings. Results suggest that phase-locked magneto-optical detection could be a transformative technology in the fight against malaria, offering a rapid, precise, and scalable diagnostic solution.