According to an article published in the scientific journal Nature Biomedical Engineering, a team of scientists from Fudan University in Shanghai has developed a device that can detect COVID-19 in less than 4 minutes with the accuracy of a PCR test.
“We have implemented an electromechanical biosensor for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in an integrated handheld device and have shown that it detects RNA virus in less than four minutes in nasopharyngeal samples,” the authors said.
The new device uses microscopic mechanical components that, when combined with microelectronics, can convert mechanical, chemical, biological or other sensory responses into electrical signals, the researchers said. The device can be connected to a computer or smartphone.
The test was carried out on 33 patients with previously diagnosed Covid-19 and 54 healthy patients. The test results of the new device are fully consistent with the results obtained by PCR, according to BGNES.
Scientists note that the new device can be used in airports, clinics, emergency rooms and even at home.