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. 2018 Mar 2;5(1):20. doi: 10.3390/bioengineering5010020

Table 1.

Comparison between the commercialized Sensing Technologies.

Name of the Device/Kit Designed by Working Principle Advantages Limitations Reference
Microbe sensor (BM-300C) Sharp Works based on a chemical reaction referred to Millard reaction in which reducing sugars and proteins are heated to produce Melanoidin with strong fluorescence in the presence of UV. This device heats the sample to proceed the Millard reaction inside the cells, and the presence of any Melanoidin is detected by UV.
  • -

    Fast detection period (10 min.)

  • -

    Continuous measurement for ongoing monitoring of microbe counts

  • -

    Compatible with Smartphone

 Not usable for detection of types of microorganisms (http://www.sharp-world.com/corporate/news/130926.html)
SYTO® BC bacteria stain Molecular Probes, Inc.
(Eugene, OR, USA)		 The quantity of bacteria can be detected by a SYTO® BC stain, which is a high-affinity green fluorescent nucleic acid stain, and a Cytometer Measure the numbers of both gram positive and gram negative bacteria.
  • -

    Not able to distinguish gram positive and gram negative bacteria

  • -

    Not able to detect the type of microorganisms

https://www.thermofisher.com/order/catalog/product/B7277
Milliflex® Rapid Microbiology Detection and Enumeration system Millipore Sigma Cells are trapped on a micro-filter and the number of cells are measured by Bioluminescence-ATP (adenosine triphosphate)
  • -

    Automated device for quantification of whole microbial cells
  • -

    Requires a long incubation time to grow microorganisms

  • -

    Not able to differentiate microorganisms

 http://www.emdmillipore.com/CA/en/product/Milliflex-Rapid-Microbiology-Detection-and-Enumeration-system,MM_NF-C10711
Celsis® systems Charles River The proprietary adenosine triphosphate (ATP) bioluminescence technology
  • -

    Automated device for quantification of whole microbial cells
  • -

    Requires a long incubation time to grow microorganisms

  • -

    Not able to differentiate microorganisms

 https://www.criver.com/products-services/qc-microbial-microbial-detection/microbial-detection-instruments?region=3601
Bactometer Microbial Analyzer Biomerieux These systems use Colorimetry od grown bacteria in defined media
  • -

    High discrimination between species

  • -

    Antibiotic susceptibility testing
  • -

    Not real time

  • -

    Not able to detect unknown microorganisms

 http://www.biomerieux-usa.com/clinical/vitek-2-healthcare
PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) Several companies (such as Eppendorf, Bio-Rad and Ampicon) Detection of microorganisms based on amplification of target gene Highly accurate
  • -

    Not real time

  • -

    Not able to distinguish dead and alive cells

  • -

    Not for qualification

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Real-time PCR Several companies (such as Eppendorf, Bio-Rad and Ampicon) Detection of microorganisms based on amplification of target gene
  • -

    Highly accurate

  • -

    Quantitative
  • -

    Not real time

  • -

    Not able to distinguish dead and alive cells

  • -

    Not able to separate different microorganism unless in combination with other techniques

 [151]
Next generation Gene Sequencing systems Several companies-454 Life Science, Ion Torrent-Illumina-Oxford NanoporeSOLiD, Detection of microorganisms based on amplification of target gene
  • -

    Highly accurate

  • -

    Quantitative

  • -

    Able to detect the presence of different microorganisms in one sample
  • -

    Expensive

  • -

    Not real time

  • -

    Required bioinformatic analysis

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