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There is an ongoing need for field-deployable biosensor devices. We have constructed a fully self-contained, hand-held biosensor, based on the surface plasmon resonance technique. The dimensions of the sensor unit are 15×8cm, the weight is 600g and it is powered by a 9V battery. We have characterised the responsiveness of the sensor using calibrated sucrose solutions and were able to measure changes as small as 3.3×10⁻⁶ refractive index units. To demonstrate functionality of the sensor, we have prepared surfaces with an antibody fragment specific for the biological toxin ricin. We were able to detect ricin at 200ng/mL in 10min, which is approximately 2500 times less than the minimum lethal dose. We were also able to verify positive binding within a second 10min window. This sensor demonstrates important steps required for the development of fully integrated, hand-held sensor devices and will form the …