JOIN USIIT Hyderabad researchers develop AI powered Covid-19 test kit
Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad researchers have come out with an Artificial Intelligence-powered Covid-19 test that can be performed at home.
The chip based kit named “COVIHOME”, stated as India's First Rapid Electronic Covid-19 RNA Test Kit, produces results within 30 minutes for both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients.
The kit, connected to an Android smartphone, gives out the results with the support of the iCovid app, where prior registration is done.
Explaining the procedure, Prof Shiv Govind Singh, Department of Electrical Engineering, said that the swab samples drawn from the nose or throat would be first placed in the Molecular Transport Medium liquid for 30 seconds.
“After the chip is registered through the app, the solution is dropped on the four sensor spots. The chip is then kept at human body temperature for 20 minutes, a provision for which is available in the kit. The chip is then inserted into the kit connected to the mobile app. By pressing the Test Sample button and feeding the chip ID and unique ID, it will automatically generate the positive or negative result,” Prof Singh, who led the IIT research team, told DH.
Singh stated it as Oligo based testing as the chip contains the RNA sequence of the SARS-CoV-2 to detect the virus presence.
According to IIT-H, the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology-Hyderabad has validated the performance of the rapid RNA electronic diagnostic device with test samples from within the institute and hospitals as advised by the Indian Council of Medical Research.
“Samples were cross checked for their Covid-19 positivity or negativity through the standard RT-PCR method. CCMB report confirmed the kit’s efficiency at 94.2 %, sensitivity 91.3%, and specificity 98.2%,” the research team said.
“The benefit of our kit is that it does not involve RT-PCR (Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction) analysis, expert resources, or a BSL-2 lab facility for the extraction of RNA. It thus offers the potential for one to take the test at home without expert supervision,” Prof Singh says.
While each test would cost Rs 400 (for the one time use of each chip), the kit i.e., the reading device where the chip is inserted and connected to the phone is priced at Rs 1500.
The makers, who have applied for a patent and are now looking for industry partners for technology transfer, believe that mass production could reduce the cost of the chip to around Rs 300.
The kit requires ICMR approval for commercialisation.