Scientists from Imperial College London and DNA Electronics based in London have created a device in the size of a usb that can detect HIV in less than 30 minutes.
This is the fastest, smallest and easiest way of detecting it so far HIV and in fact with Results high precision. At recent researches have been tested 991 samples bloodwith 95 percent accuracy, taking about 21 minutes to produce a result.
Patients will be able to place a drop of blood on a spot on the USB stick, similar to how usesgiven to diabetics to read their blood sugar levels. If HIV is detected on the sensitive plate of the device then a change in acidity is stimulated which is translated into an electrical signal on the chip which in turn is transmitted from the USB drive to the computer.
Hitherto detection of the virus requires costly and complex laboratory equipment and it takes a couple of days to get the result. Scientists have succeeded in shrinking this equipment that has the size of a large photocopier machine, just a few centimeters, just like a usb stick.
Although its final price is low, it will actually help the inhabitants of underdeveloped countries that are literally plagued by the disease.
