Lateral　flow　immunochromatographic　assay　(LFIA)　testing　is　essential　for　accurate　detection　and　diagnoses　of　diseases　and　physical　conditions.　However,　the　existing　LFIA　strip　reader　equipped　with　high　cost　of　hardware　confines　its　simplicity　and　portability.　Therefore,　this　study　develops　a　simple,　low　cost　LFIA　strip　reader　comprising　4　major　modules　—　mechanical,　optical,　processing　and　control　modules.　The　mechanical　module　pulls　in　and　out　the　test　strip　automatically　to　be　read　by　the　optical　module　and　the　data　processing　module　provides　the　test　results　by　analyzing　the　data　sent　by　the　optical　module.　All　the　individual　modules　are　controlled　by　a　control　module.　To　reduce　the　hardware　budget　and　control　complexity,　a　time-triggered　cooperative　(TTC)　scheduler　implemented　on　an　8051　IP　core　was　chosen　as　control　system.　In　addition,　special,　high　sensitivity　C-reactive　protein　(CRP)　strips　with　10　different　concentrations　were　tested　to　evaluate　the　performance　of　the　system.　Further,　a　commercial　ESEQuant　lateral　flow　reader　(QIAGEN,　Germany)　was　tested　as　a　comparative　study.　The　test　results　show　that　the　proposed　reader　was　stable　with　a　coefficient　of　variation　(CV)　factor　within　3%.　To　test　the　qualitative　performance　of　the　system,　each　of　the　CRP　concentration　were　examined　for　10　times,　which　indicates　that　the　system　has　a　large　dynamic　detection　range　and　good　detection　linearity　(R2　=　0.998).　In　short,　the　proposed　LFIA　strip　reader　has　high　potential　relative　to　existing　readers,　especially　in　simplicity　and　cost.　©　2016　Taylor　and　Francis　Group　LLC.