- September 23, 2021
The insertable biosensors detect the virus from a wearer’s breath, producing easy to read results similar to those of an at-home pregnancy test. If the coronavirus is present, the system changes the pattern of lines in the readout strip. To activate the test, the wearer pushes a button on the mask to release a small amount of water into the system, which activates the test.
Study findings published on 28 June 2021 in Nature Biotechnology show the test can diagnose COVID-19 at accuracy levels similar to those of standard diagnostic tests, Mercury News reports.
“We have essentially shrunk an entire diagnostic laboratory down into a small, synthetic biology-based sensor that works with any face mask, and combines the high accuracy of PCR [polymerase chain reaction] tests with the speed and low cost of antigen tests,” said Peter Ngyuyen, PhD, study co-author and research scientist at Harvard’s Wyss Institute.
For years, the researchers have been working on wearable freeze-dried cell-free technology — the mechanism behind the test. In the early stages, researchers were hoping to integrate the technology into diagnostics to address the Zika virus outbreak. The researchers are now hoping to mass produce the diagnostic and are seeking manufacturing partners.
REFERENCE: Becker’s Hospital Review; 30 JUN 2021; Erick Carbajal