COVID-19 breathalyzer could be a game-changer for coronavirus detection
As more Americans are having to take COVID-19 tests due to the rapid acceleration of coronavirus cases across the United States, many will welcome a new form of technology that could revolutionize the country's pandemic response.
According to NBC-DFW, a new state-of-the-art breathalyzer device has been developed to detect COVID-19 in approximately 15 seconds to one minute, solid. Dave Copps, CEO of Worlds Inc., an artificial intelligence firm, released a statement about the revolutionary device known as "Protect." He also discussed the device's capability.
"It's a welcome change when people have to blow into a machine rather than have a swab stuck up their nose," Copps said. "You simply breath into Protect and receive results in about 15 seconds, in less than a minute."
He also highlighted what makes the device special and how it differs from standard COVID-19 testing. Protect can be used to determine whether or not a person should be tested for the virus which could ultimately save time and money for those trying to decide whether or not they should be tested.
Texas A&M researchers are working on a COVID-19 breathalyzer that could give you a positive or negative result in l… https://t.co/oOV14Etx0r— Texas A&M University (@Texas A&M University) 1605890639
"What makes Protect unique is that it doesn't directly detect the virus but rather the body's unique chemical reaction to the virus," Copps said.
According to Copps, the results from the Protect kiosk device have a level of accuracy that is comparable to PCR nasal swab tests.
"For us, we're doing this because we want to help. We think we have the people and the technology to do that. So we're running as fast as we can with great partners to see if we can get there," Copps said.
Texas A&M System helps develop new COVID-19 breathalyzer kiosk with results in secondswww.youtube.com
The development of the Protect device comes the United States battles an alarming uptick in coronavirus cases, reporting nearly 200,000 cases each day over the last week. As of Friday, Nov. 27, the United States has confirmed more than 13.2 million coronavirus cases. The country's death toll now stands at 269,802.
