The new sensor is based on technology that could be quickly adapted to generate rapid and accurate diagnostics for future pandemics as well, the researchers said.
“A rapid test means that you can open up travel much earlier in a future pandemic. You can screen people getting off of an airplane and determine whether they should quarantine or not. You could similarly screen people entering their workplace and so forth,” said Michael Strano, senior author of the study.
“We do not yet have technology that can develop and deploy such sensors fast enough to prevent economic loss.”
The diagnostic is based on carbon nanotube sensor technology that Strano’s lab has previously developed.
Once the researchers began working on a Covid-19 sensor, it took them just 10 days to identify a modified carbon nanotube capable of selectively detecting the viral proteins they were looking for, and then test it and incorporate it into a working prototype. This approach also...