New Material: Get Faster, More Accurate COVID-19 Tests Now Without Poke Your Throat

In a new study published today in Nano Letters, the researchers describe the new sensor, which requires no sample preparation and minimal operator expertise, compared to existing testing methods Has strong advantages, especially in population-wide testing

"The technology is simple, just put a drop of saliva on our device and get a positive or negative result," said Ishan Barman, associate professor of mechanical engineering

Barman said the new technology, which is not yet on the market, addresses the limitations of two of the most widely used COVID-19 tests

PCR assays are highly accurate, but require complex sample preparation and results that take hours or even days to process in the lab

And the new sensor is almost as sensitive as a PCR test and as convenient as a rapid antigen test

The sensor is based on large-area nanoimprint lithography, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), and machine learning techniques

Key to the approach is a large-area flexible field-enhanced metal-insulator antenna (FEMIA) array developed in Gracias' lab

"Label-free optical detection, combined with machine learning, allows us to have a single platform that can test a variety of viruses with greater sensitivity and selectivity, and very Quick change

The sensor material can be placed on any type of surface, from doorknobs and building entrances to masks and textiles

"Using state-of-the-art nanoimprint fabrication and transfer printing techniques, we have achieved high-precision, tunable, and scalable nanofabrication of rigid and flexible COVID sensor substrates, not only for chip-based biosensors, but also for Future implementations of wearables are all very important

Such sensors could potentially be integrated with handheld testing equipment for rapid screening in crowded places such as airports or stadiums, he said

"Our platform goes beyond the current COVID-19 pandemic," Barman said.

The team will continue to further develop and test the technology using patient samples, having applied for a patent on the intellectual property related to it, and the team is pursuing licensing and commercialization opportunities

Dilip Kumar Agarwal, Vikas Nandwana, Stephen E.