A team of scientific researchers from the University of California Santa Barbara (UC Santa Barbara), developed a mobile application-based detection system and a toolkit that would be capable of detecting COVID-19 and influenza.
A study carried out by researchers at UC Santa Barbara would facilitate access to COVID-19 tests, and speed up the detection of cases to avoid more infections as it is a cheaper method. The diagnostic tool has a portable device with a heating plate equipped with LED lights, and a mobile application.
In this way, the system would provide not only speed in the application of tests, but could also be adapted to detect other pathogens such as the influenza virus, new variants of COVID-19, among others, according to the authors.
Through small saliva samples placed in a test kit and a phone camera, it would be possible to match the level of precision of PCR tests, without the need for additional materials and in less time.
The results of this research were published in the journal JAMA Network Open This study detailed how the detection system was able to make accurate diagnoses of COVID-19, its variants and influenza viruses. The app uses the rear camera of the mobile phone to measure chemical reactions and provide a result in around 25 minutes.
The test kit called SmaRT-LAMP would cost less than $100 and could test up to 96 saliva samples simultaneously using a phone, resulting in tests as low as $7.
“The smartphone-based LAMP assay integrates reliable diagnostics with the advantages of smartphone detection, offering a cost-effective diagnostic platform for SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A and B viruses that match standards of the CDC RT-qPCR criteria”, explains the study led by researchers Michael Mahan, David Low and Charles Samuel of UC Santa Barbara.
Likewise, Samuel explained that SmaRT-LAMP can be easily modified to detect new variants of COVID-19 and other pathogens with pandemic potential.
For his part, Low highlighted the importance of technology to offer reliable diagnoses for populations in vulnerable situations: "We hope that technologies like this offer new ways to provide state-of-the-art diagnoses to vulnerable and underserved populations."
