A Smartphone App can Test Your Blood for HIV

The recent appearance of a smartphone dongle for immunodeficiency analysis purposes is a miracle of modern medical technology.

A smart phone can be used to carry out tests revealing any immune deficiency. All it requires is a dongle that accomplishes the functions of a series of lab tests whether they are physical, biological or chemical in nature.

The ELISA heuristic is possible thanks to the advancement of technology. The methodology has been road-tested in Africa. Many people have had their blood tests taken via the pricking of their fingers.

Whether it is testing for the AIDS virus or syphilis, this silicon-based technique will surely revolutionize the circumstances of the medical profession on a worldwide basis. The patients who underwent the tests also praised the dongle and said that they were fully satisfied with this new and radical form of medical testing.

It was a far cry from the ramshackle ways of the past which were obsolete and passe by now. The defunct methods of history have been replaced by high technology that truly delivers.

While there have always been apps for deciphering the bar codes on smart money or that could be used as consumer durable remote controls, now for the first time apps for almost instant access to results of an HIV test are a reality. This is a sign of the times indeed which are very revolutionary.       

The whole venture got off the ground when scientists at Columbia University decided to experiment and convert a smart phone into a means of lab analysis. All that is needed is a droplet or two of blood and the patient can allay his fears (or confirm them) as to whether he or she has AIDS or syphilis.

The dongle used for the operation requires no separate batteries. The lab functions are taken over by a microchip in the dongle which in turn is attached to the head of the smart phone.

Tiny cilia-like hair are inside the device and they convey the blood via a mini pump. The moment the blood sample reaches the center of the gadget, it is mixed with chemical enzymes that automatically lead to the analysis of whether the person the blood is from has any of the STDs.

The ELISA test is the latest of its kind on the face of the planet. LED rays are sent through the blood and then through spectroscopy the results are obtained fair and square. While the dongle has a price of $34, the blood test costs a mere $1.44.  

Source: ScienceMag via LiveScience