Oxford scientists have developed a new type of test that can detect COVID-19 with a high degree of accuracy, directly in samples taken from patients, using a machine learning-based approach. Tech Crunch brought this interesting news to us in their article, “New Oxford machine learning-based COVID-19 test can provide results in under 5 minutes.”
That means it could be among the technologies that unlock mass testing — a crucial need not only for managing the current COVID-19 pandemic, but also on helping with potential future global viral outbreaks.
The technology that makes this possible works by labeling any virus particles found in a sample collected by a patient using short, fluorescent DNA strands that act as markers. A microscope images the sample and the labeled viruses present, and then machine learning software takes over using algorithmic analysis to automatically identify the virus.
A huge benefit is it’s portability. It can be used in retail settings, healthcare settings, airports, etc.
Melody K. Smith
Sponsored by Data Harmony, a unit of Access Innovations, the world leader in indexing and making content findable.
