In the name of public safety and peace of mind, those nasal-probing COVID-19 tests that make your eyes water and those lines that make your legs fall asleep may no longer be necessary soon.
A breathalyzer-type test is in the works to diagnose coronavirus instantly with a basic blow through a disposable straw.
Worlds Inc. is working with Texas A&M and the U.S. Air Force on a breathalyzer prototype that sends COVID-19 test results to a person’s cell phone in minutes by targeting organic compounds generated when fighting coronavirus. It is being tested on people at hospitals and Air Force bases with the efficacy of the now-common PCR test. Testing at kiosks on the Texas A&M and Brigham Young University campuses is training artificial intelligence to detect the flu and other viruses.
“People can walk up and, literally, just breathe into the device,” Worlds Inc. co-founder Chris Rohde told Texas A&M news service. “It’s completely noninvasive. There’s no amount of touching. And you quickly get a result. You get a yay or nay.”
Inside the kiosk, the test is conducted with advanced mass spectrometry technology, a chemical analysis using AI software to map the body’s chemical code reaction to COVID-19. The copper inlet is heated between each breath to sanitize the device between tests.
Another test, developed by Tiger Tech, features an armband with sensors that detect COVID-19 complications.
“We see this as a possible game-changer for the economy,” Tiger Tech CEO Harrison Wittels told FOX Business. “Right now, the goal is to get everyone back to their daily routines. This means people back at work, students back in schools and travelers back on planes. We believe our device can play a major role in allowing this transition to happen quicker and, most importantly, safer.”
Both companies are seeking Food and Drug Administration emergency authorization. That would tickle everyone in the right way, rather than in a nasal passage.
Add comment