JERUSALEM, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Israeli researchers have developed a physical coronavirus breath test, providing results within one minute, Ben-Gurion University (BGU) said Wednesday.
Most current biological methods take several hours and even days, and require complex logistical steps to transfer sensitive and contagious samples to test labs.
However, the new physical method developed by BGU researchers allows the most rapid result in a simple method, with high accuracy.
The developers estimate that the cost of each test will not exceed 50 U.S. dollars.
Clinical trials of the new method, conducted by BGU and Israel's Ministry of Defense on 120 subjects, showed a success of over 90 percent.
The new electro-optic method includes a tiny, seven-centimeter-long kit with a mouthpiece and a capsule that contains an electronic chip with a dense array of engineered sensors.
First, samples are collected by a simple exhalation, then cling to the sensors.
Then, the entire chip is put in a system that scans the samples and delivers the result just 20 seconds after the scan began.
The device also automatically backs up the results to a database that can be accessed by the authorities to facilitate monitoring the virus path, as well as prioritizing and treating patients.
This may help conduct tests at entrances of airports, factories and large companies and thus help countries restore their economies to full activity. Enditem
