Ever since the Omicron variant arrived in the US, there has been one test shortage in the country. Stuck between long lines at specialized clinics and overly expensive tests at home, many Americans have understandably given up on getting tested to make sure they don’t have COVID-19. However, a solution to some of these problems could be on the way.
University of California, Santa Barbara
In a newly published paper discovered by gizmodo, researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara, have described a system you can use for about $100 if you already have access to a relatively modern phone. What’s more, they say early results show their process is almost as accurate as a PCR test (and luckily doesn’t involve tickling your brain).
In its current iteration, the system includes downloading the team bacticount app on your phone, as well as using a hot plate and box with LED light. If you need to test yourself, put a saliva sample on a test kit, which costs about $7. You then drop a reactive solution that makes it easier for your phone’s rear camera to detect viral RNA in the sample. The solution will turn bright red as it combines with the viral material in your saliva. The Bacticount app then performs a real-time analysis based on how quickly the solution turns red.
As you can imagine, there is still a lot to do before you can use the SmaRT-LAMP test at home. The initial study is based on a small sample size of 50 symptomatic and asymptomatic people. In addition, the Bacticount app has so far only been optimized for working with the Samsung Galaxy S9. Nevertheless, the system is promising. While it’s primarily designed to support testing in locations that don’t have access to adequate resources, Dr. Michael Mann, the project’s lead researcher, told Gizmodo that it could be adapted for home use. He also said it could be modified to detect new COVID-19 variants and other pathogens like the flu.
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