“Our innovative technology has high sensitivity and can even electrically identify single virus particles,” first author Professor Masateru Taniguchi says.
‘New rapid test utilizing artificial intelligence and nanopore technology for detecting COVID-19 virus has been discovered.’
This method achieved sensitivity of 90% and a specificity of 96% for SARS-CoV-2 detection in just five minutes using clinical saliva samples.
Using nanopores just 300 nanometres in diameter bored into a silicon nitride membrane pulled virus present to partially block the opening by the electrophoretic force.
The change in current as a function of time provided information on the volume, structure, and surface charge of the target being analyzed and machine learning is used to interpret the subtle signals.
This user-friendly and non-invasive method is more amenable to immediate diagnosis in hospitals and screening in places where large crowds are gathered.
The complete test platform consisting machine learning software,a portable high-precision current measuring instrument, and cost-effective semiconducting nanopore modules can be adapted for use in the detection of emerging infectious diseases in the future revolutionizing the public health and disease control.
Source: Medindia
