(Image source from: economictimes.indiatimes.com)

The researchers in USA have developed a low-cost smartphone that can be used as a tool to trace or detect the coronavirus and this is more accurate than the antigen tests. It is named as the Harmony Covid-19 test that is developed by the scientists of the University of Washington, USA. The RT-PCR tests can reveal the results in hours and the Harmony kit can provide the result of coronavirus in just 20 minutes with great accuracy. Bary Lutz, an associate professor at the University of Washington said that the cost is low and the smartphone can be used anywhere. Bary Lutz said that the performance is high and testing will be more accessible all over the globe because of the Harmony Kit.

The Harmony Kit uses PCR-like method to trace out the coronavirus and it uses a small, low-cost detector. The smartphone will be used to operate and detect the results as per the researchers. Four samples can be handled at a time and the entire kit will fit in a standard car's glove compartment. The accuracy of the tests left the people puzzled and with the rise in the new cases, the results for the RT-PCR tests have been taking more time than the normal. The accuracy of the regular RT-PCR test is 95 percent and the researchers predict 97 percent accuracy for the Harmony kit. The kits will be initially available for the clinics in the USA and they will be next set up in schools, workplaces and public places.

By Siva Kumar