In order to improve the stripping process, a thermal stripping apparatus is proposed which has a thermal stripper with a first holder section and a second holder section. A netlist that describes the PLD design and an identification of the switchbox module are input. The cup may then be rotated into an upside down position causing the specimen, under the force of gravity, to pass from the container portion and into a volume of the lid portion, such that the test strip is exposed to the specimen as it is received into the volume of the lid portion. A vibration dampening gasket is disposed between the ledge and lip sections of the body and crown respectively. These bolometers are particularly sensitive to the infrared wave range so that they are employable as infrared sensors and may be combined to form one-dimensional sensor rows or two-dimensional microbolometer arrays. A mobile communication device and a system implementing the method are also described.