The UCF researchers developed a device that detects viruses in the body as fast as - and more accurately than - the current commonly used rapid detection tests.
The optical sensor uses nanotechnology to accurately identify viruses from blood samples in seconds. The researchers say the device can tell with 95 per cent accuracy if someone has a virus, a significant improvement over existing rapid tests, which experts have warned can suffer from low accuracy. Testing for viruses is important for early treatment and to help stop their spread.
The researchers tested the device using samples of Dengue virus, a mosquito transmitted pathogen that causes Dengue fever and is a threat to people in the tropics. However, the technology can also easily be adapted to detect other viruses, such as Covid-19, said study co-author Debashis Chanda, a professor in UCF’s NanoScience Technology Center.
“The sensitive optical sensor, along with the rapid fabrication approach...