A ceiling-mounted device developed in the UK can tell in 15 minutes if someone has a coronavirus in a room. The “alarm” is capable of detecting chemical changes in the skin and respiration of people infected with COVID-19. Studies show that the accuracy of the gadget is up to 100%.
A team of scientists has developed a “COVID sensor” that can determine if someone in a room is infected with a coronavirus in just 15 minutes. This technology could provide an affordable way to check a large number of people on premises, including aircraft cabins, nursing homes, classrooms and offices, writes the Daily Mail.
The device, developed by Cambridgeshire-based RoboScientific, uses sensors that can detect a distinct odor that occurs as a result of chemical changes in the skin or respiration of people infected with the coronavirus.
The virus causes a change in the volatile organic compounds that make up body odor, creating a “fingerprint” that is not felt by humans, but can be detected by the device when it absorbs the odor.
The device, which can be mounted on a wall or ceiling, is programmed to automatically send positive results to the specified person via SMS or email.
Research from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the University of Durham, while in its early stages, shows the device is 98 to 100 percent accurate. This may mean that they are much more accurate than sidestream tests and just as accurate as PCR tests.
These devices cost a lot – £ 5,000. But while not cheap, they can reduce the need for frequent PCR testing and sidestream testing on a large scale.
Professor James Logan, who led the study, says: “These results are truly promising and demonstrate the potential for using this technology as a rapid, non-invasive test with incredible accuracy. However, further testing is needed to confirm whether these results can be reproduced in real life. If these devices are successfully developed for use in public places, they can be scaled up easily and at an affordable cost. They can also protect people from future disease outbreaks by being able to develop sensor arrays to detect other diseases in a matter of weeks. ”
The study used samples of body odor from socks that were worn and given to scientists by 54 people – 27 people who tested positive for COVID-19 who had no symptoms or had mild symptoms, and 27 uninfected people.
The sensors reached 100 percent accuracy over a two-day period, but the researchers say more research is needed on a larger scale to determine their effectiveness.
RoboScientific is exploring the capabilities of two types of fully automated COVID-19 screening devices – a handheld device and an indoor device.
A portable device can tell if a person has COVID-19 by their body odor. Experts believe that when used in public places, these devices could replace PCR tests and sidestream testing as a faster, less invasive tool to inform someone if they are infected and if they need to self-isolate.
The gadgets can be used by swabbing the skin, taking a breath sample, or testing a used mask.
An indoor device – a first of its kind – can be used to check spaces such as classrooms or aircraft cabins to determine if an infected person is present.
The scientists say the air test results will be available within 30 minutes. If COVID is detected, everyone in the room will need to be individually tested to determine who has been infected.
Professor Steve Lindsay of the Department of Biological Sciences at Durham University says: “Many diseases have a special odor associated with them. We started our research with a blank sheet of paper and asked the question: Does COVID-19 have a distinct odor? We ended the study by showing a clear distinction between the odors of people infected with the virus and people not infected with it. COVID definitely has a very distinct odor. This is a real scientific discovery, and it is very interesting for the development of screening methods for this disease. “
Stan Curtis, CEO of RoboScientific Ltd., said: “Our disease detection platform can provide fast and accurate disease monitoring so we are ready if and when the next pandemic arrives.”
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