Artificial Nose – aBreakthrough for Rapid COVID-19 Testing
4 mins In addition to the vaccines being rolled out, another critical step to a return to normal is rapid or even instant COVID-19 testing. Such real-time testing would be a key resource for the opening of large venues and events.
In recent reports, some dogs have been trained toliterally sniff out individuals infected with COVID-19. Now, a tech company isusing the power of artificial intelligence to do the same thing with an“artificial nose” handheld device.
In a recent test, BrainChip Inc. and NaNose Medicalwere able to successfully detect COVID-19 in exhaled breath in much the sameway a breathalyzer detects alcohol. Their COVID-19 testing results arereportedly fast and highly accurate.
BrainChip is a leading provider of ultra-low powerhigh performance artificial intelligence technology. In a press release, thecompany wrote, “Using the NaNose Medical artificial nose, and Akida’sartificial brain, is a potential breakthrough in accurate, fast, inexpensive,widespread (COVID-19) testing with the potential to control outbreaks andreduce this disease’s death toll.”
This NaNose Medical technology is based on theartificial nose developed at the Technion Israel Institute of Technology, byProf. Hossam Haick, and has the same sensitivity to minute quantities ofVolatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) as a dog’s nose.
While it’s use as an instant or rapid COVID-19 testare new, the device has been used in tests to identify diseases includingParkinson’s, cancers, kidney failure, and multiple sclerosis for several years.
For the recent trials testing COVID-19, NaNoseMedical collected samples from 130 patients and used that data to train itsAkida™ neuromorphic processor. The system has now learned to recognize patternsof VOC biomarkers associated with an COVID-19 infection within seconds with ahigh level of accuracy.
According to a study in China, this type of breathsensor data is more accurate than current COVID-19 tests using the reversetranscription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
Additionally, sensor testing like this reduces therisk to healthcare workers because the tests does not rely on saliva or mucussamples.
“Artificial intelligence in medicine and healthcareis an emerging field and one in which we are eager to contribute with our edgeAI processing solution at the Edge, for the benefit of science and humanity,”said Louis DiNardo, BrainChip CEO.
Both Louis DiNardo, Brainchip CEO and Orit MaromAlbeck, NaNose Medical CEO said: “Using the NaNose Medical artificial nose, andAkida’s artificial brain, is a potential breakthrough in accurate, fast,inexpensive, widespread testing with the potential to control outbreaks andreduce this disease’s death toll.”
http://citizennewswire.com/2021/02/25/artificial-nose-a-breakthrough-for-rapid-covid-19-testing/
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