COVID detector can smell the virus with up to 100% accuracy

a few weeks ago we reported on the dogs that can sniff out COVID-19, and now, british researchers have developed an electronic device that can detect the unique odour of the virus. in research led by the london school of hygiene & tropical medicine (LSHTM) and biotech company roboscientific with durham university, the device was tested using worn socks from 54 individuals, half of whom tested positive for coronavirus. incredibly, the results showed that the sensors were able to detect COVID with between 98% and 100% accuracy, even on samples from asymptomatic patients.

image courtesy of roboscientific

professor steve lindsay, from the department of biosciences at durham university, explains, ‘many diseases have a distinct smell associated with them. we started our research with a blank sheet of paper and asked the question: does COVID-19 have a distinct smell? we ended the research showing a clear separation between the odours of people infected with the virus and those uninfected. COVID most definitely has a very distinct smell. this is real discovery science and very exciting for the development of screening methods for the disease.’

image by suhyeon choi on unsplash

the device that was tested is roboscientific’s 307b VOC model, which is fitted with an array of 12 organic semi-conducting (OSC) sensors to sniff out the virus. ‘on the first day of tests, the device achieved an average of 98% specificity (meaning a low risk of false positive results) and an average of 99% sensitivity (meaning a low risk of false negative results). on the second day of testing the sensors achieved 100% sensitivity and specificity, suggesting they can detect the presence of covid-19 infection more accurately than any other diagnostic test available,’  reports roboscientific.

image courtesy of roboscientific

following these exciting findings, roboscientific is developing two types of devices: ceiling-mounted and handheld. the ceiling-mounted sensor could be used in crowded situations such as school classrooms or airplane cabins. the detectors can only identify the presence of the virus, not the exact person carrying it, therefore, they would never replace PCR and LFT testing but they could serve as a quick first screening system, helping to save time and money in the fight against coronavirus.

‘these results are really promising and demonstrate the potential for using this technology as a rapid, non-invasive test with incredible accuracy. however, further testing is required to confirm if these results can be replicated in real-world settings,’  says professor james logan, head of the department of disease control at LSHTM, who led the study. ‘if these devices are successfully developed for use in public places, they could be affordably and easily scaled up. they also could protect people against future disease outbreaks, with capability to develop sensor arrays to detect other diseases within a number of weeks.’

image courtesy of roboscientific