Khalifa University’s research team has successfully developed a portable device that can detect Covid-19, which is size of a mobile phone. The device is characterized by its efficacy of detecting the virus and providing results within 45 minutes. The device can give results for up to 9 people at the same time.

The examination done by this device is fairly simple as it detects the virus directly from the swab taken from the person and gives result through change in colour. If the sample turns pink the result is negative while a yellow colour indicates positive result.

The development of device under supervision of Dr. Anas Al-Azzam, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering and a member of the Micro Systems Center, along with Dr. Habiba Al-Saffar, the Director of the Khalifa University of Biotechnology and Associate Professor of Molecular Biology and Genetics. The team also included Dr. Waqas Wahid and Dr. Suwaida Silan as doctoral researchers and also co-researcher Hussain Knut.

The device is currently under medical verification. The BCR examination is taken as the gold standard when it comes to virus detection, as its highly accurate, but at the same time is very difficult to use. The research time alternatively used isothermal technology to detect the coronavirus. This technique is fast, accurate and effective. The isothermal technique is considered faster than other traditional techniques for it uses a primer which works on two regions of virus’s genetic material. Majority of BCR methods are based on thermal cycling in which reactants undergo repeated cycles that include high and low temperatures, thus initiating the transcription process.

Even after the pandemic ends this portable innovative device can be beneficial in detecting any virus. This would be true as the isothermal technology that is used by device doubles RNA to help both in detection and examination of viruses. The research team mentioned that the necessary primer can be produced to quickly monitor the infection causative agent after identification of the viral sequence. The BCR device developed by the researchers at Khalifa University can detect presence of any new virus as it can used for more than 9 people at one time.