That’s important because more specimens increases the sensitivity of tests, particularly rapid tests, according to Ou.
‘InstaSwab, the nasal swab contains porous microstructures within their heads that are tuned to collect and retain fluid. It can quickly release the fluid when it enters a test vial — 20 times the amount of bacteria compared to traditional Q-tip-like cotton swabs.’
Traditional nasal swabs are made from cotton, polyester, or foam and a handle made from wood, rolled paper, or even plastic. While they are easy and cheap to manufacture but not comfortable when used.
“Swabs need to be soft, flexible, the structures on the tip need to be very intricate. That’s what we do,” Ou said.
The tiny woven lattices within the InstaSwab helps in the easy absorption and releasing of more fluid than the conventional swabs.
The InstaSwabs are manufactured by OPT Industries, founded by Ou, using an additive manufacturing process. The company currently is producing 80,000 swabs a day, and it is building newer versions of its machines that can produce products even more quickly, Ou said.
Source: IANS
