Researchers at the Washington University in St. Louis developed a new proof-of-concept device that can detect if Covid is in the air within five minutes of monitoring.  The device is based off a “previous construction of a micro-immuno electrode biosensor that detects amyloid beta as a biomarker for Alzheimer’s disease,” according to the University of Minnesota. By exchanging the antibody that detects the amyloid with a nanobody from a llama, the device detects the spike protein from Covid.  

What all that scientific jargon means is that with this innovation, covid can be detected within minutes and covid protocol can be instituted. The device uses wet cyclone technology (pulls the air in at a high velocity to mix with the fluid lining the wall to trap virus aerosols) that allows the biosensor to mix with air samples at a high velocity, creating a surface vortex that traps the aerosols from the virus.  

The biosensor is compact at 10 inches tall and 12 inches wide, making it portable and easy to access when needed. Not only does it detect the Covid-19 virus, but it can also detect the flu along with other airborne diseases.  

With this innovative technology, disease can be tracked easily, making it far easier for researchers to see the spread and control it. By detecting virus every five minutes, the operators can increase the airflow of a room, decreasing the risk of illness in a tightly packed room.