A single machine can screen up to 1,000 patient samples for COVID-19 in under 20 minutes, detecting both past and present infections by observing individual molecules. Current PCR tests require specialised labs, trained staff, and hours to return results, while rapid antigen tests are less accurate. This device solves both problems: it is portable, can be operated by non-specialists, and delivers near-instant results without a clinical setting. It also distinguishes COVID-19 from flu or other coronaviruses in the same run, which is critical during winter flu seasons. If successful, the technology could transform pandemic management. Workplaces could test employees at the door and get results within minutes, catching infections before they spread. Airports, supermarkets, or mobile vans could run mass screening at population pinch-points. Because the device uses tiny amounts of reagents and small patient samples, it avoids the supply-chain bottlenecks that have plagued other tests. Each machine could theoretically process 72,000 samples per day, making population-wide monitoring feasible for the first time—a practical tool to reopen economies safely.
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SMi Drug Discovery, a developer of optical devices capable of unprecedented levels of resolution, has designed an automated diagnostic device that will enable the detection of both past and present COVID-19 infections. Unlike other tests, SMi's technology directly observes single molecules to provide irrefutable evidence of their existence. The device produces highly accurate results at unprecedented speed, and is highly scalable. It is capable of screening a handful of samples in less than 2 minutes, and up to 1,000 samples in less than 20 minutes - a theoretical capacity of up to 72,000 samples per day, per machine. SMi's technology also allows the simultaneous screening of multiple disease types, allowing COVID-19 to be distinguished from diseases with similar symptoms such as other coronaviruses or influenza - especially beneficial during winter flu seasons. The device is compact, portable, can be operated by non-specialists and does not require specialised laboratory conditions. Here are two examples of how it might be used for COVID-19: * Workplace: The device's speed means that employees can be tested as they arrive at work, and receive results within minutes. Infected persons can therefore be identified very quickly, significantly reducing the risk of transmission. This capability could be especially critical in healthcare settings such as hospitals and care homes. * Population: The device's portability and ease of use by non-specialists means that routine mass testing can be undertaken at testing centres and population pinch-points; for example, at public transport terminals such as airports, at supermarkets or via mobile testing vans. Providing near-instant results and the ability to conduct testing outside of a clinical environment fundamentally distinguishes this technology from others. Because the SMi device is able to analyse single molecules, it requires only tiny quantities of reagents (dramatically lower than the amounts currently used in a single COVID-19 diagnostic testing kit) and small patient samples. This mitigates the risk of reagent shortages, and dramatically reduces operational costs. Portability, its ability to work outside of specialist laboratories and reduced material waste provide additional environmental benefits. Together with its high throughput, these features would facilitate the monitoring of entire populations - a transformational leap for the management of the global pandemic. SMi's technology provides the diagnostic capabilities necessary to get people back to work and economies moving again in a safe and controlled manner.
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