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From Dogs to a Laser-Powered Breathalyzer
Every time we breathe out, we let go of many different types of molecules that form a special “breathprint.” This breathprint is like a chemical signature that tells us about the way our body is doing.
Scientists have been trying for years to use this kind of information and are training animals like dogs, rats, and bees to help them sense diseases like cancer, diabetes, or tuberculosis.
Scientists from CU Boulder and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have created a laser-based breathalyzer powered by AI that could detect COVID-19 in real-time with great accuracy. This result was published in the Journal of Breath Research.
The study results showed that breath testing could be a great way to quickly and painlessly detect Covid-19. Qizhong Liang (a doctorate student of the University of Colorado Boulder’s JILA program) even suggested that breath tests might help diagnose other illnesses as well. JILA is a partnership between the University of Colorado Boulder’s Department of Physics and NIST.
A group of scientists from different areas, such as physics, biochemistry and biology, are now concentrating on curing other illnesses. They believe that the technology invented atCU and awarded by the Nobel Prize might help improve medical tests.
In the near future, you may go to the doctor and measure your breaths alongside with your height and weight. Or, alternatively, you could just blow into a mouthpiece on your phone and get quick health information right away. According to senior author Jun Ye from JILA research center at CU Boulder University, “the possibilities are endless”.
Ye’s Groundbreaking Discovery
In 2008, a scientist named Ye reported that laser light can be used to tell the difference between molecules. This tool was not accurate enough to predict illnesses, so it wasn’t used for diagnosis purposes.
Ye’s team has made their detection a thousand times more sensitive, so now it can tell if there are tiny molecules present even in really small amounts. They also use something called AI to analyze data related to the molecules. The AI looks for patterns and makes predictions based on what it finds, so they can figure out what health condition someone has.
With the coronavirus spreading quickly across America and people getting annoyed because testing results are taking too long, scientist Ye used help from CU’s BioFrontiers Institute to test people. This laboratory was in charge of the campus COVID tests and this research was funded by two special organizations—the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.
Quick, Easy, Accurate
From May 2021 to January 2022, a research team studied breath samples from 170 students at CU Boulder. All of the students had taken a COVID test in the last 48 hours, either by giving saliva or nasal samples. Half tested positive, and half tested negative. To keep everyone safe, these student volunteers drove to an outdoor campus parking lot, blew into a sample collection bag, and left it for a lab technician who was standing at a safe distance away.
The whole process (from collection to result) took less than an hour. Compared with the typical COVID test, the breathalyzer results were accurate 85% of the time – and that’s considered excellent by medical standards! The researchers think that it would have been even more accurate if they had taken both breath and saliva/nasal swab samples at the same moment.
The breathalyzer test is a great alternative to a nasal swab or saliva sample because it doesn’t require you to not eat, drink or smoke prior to using the test. Plus, it’s much simpler than other tests which use costly chemicals. Even better, the breathalyzer can be used on people who are unconscious too!
However, there’s still more to learn according to Ye.
“We can measure a lot of things about you with one breath, but that doesn’t mean we understand everything. We only know how certain molecules are connected to certain conditions,” said Ye.
5 Miles in a Machine: “Breathalyzer” Uncovers Molecular Make-up of COVID-19 and Beyond
Today, the “breathalyzer” is a large machine made up of lasers and mirrors. To take a breath sample from it, air is pushed into a tube. The machine then shines invisible mid-infrared light at this air with thousands of different frequencies. This light then bounces off several tiny mirrors within the machine. So much that its journey inside adds up to be about 1.5 miles!
Molecules in breath samples have a unique make-up that reflects differently when exposed to light. A machine uses this information, like millions of pieces of data, to decide if somebody has COVID or not by giving a positive or negative result very quickly.
Researchers are already working on making these monitoring systems smaller so that people can use them while they traveling. Molecular biologist Leslie Leinwand even believes it could be used to detect illnesses like pancreatic cancer early, before you’ve noticed any symptoms. She calls this possibility a “home run” which means a huge success.
Scientists are trying to create something called a Human Breath Atlas. This is a map that shows different molecules in the air when people take a breath out and links them with how healthy they are. Liang wants to help this work with more samples of breath.
The team is looking into how a breathalyzer tool can help with diagnosing diseases and learning more about them. This could include finding out about how immune systems respond, any nutritional problems, and other reasons why illnesses happen or become worse.
Ye said that dogs have been able to smelled things with great sensitivity for thousands of years. But, we are still learning how to use lasers to do the same. The better we teach it, the smarter our laser-based nose will become.
A team of researchers recently wrote a study called “Breath Analysis by Ultra-Sensitive Broadband Laser Spectroscopy Detects SARS-CoV-2 Infection”. It was funded by the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation. This study helps us to better detect coronavirus infection.
What are the common respiratory symptoms of COVID-19?
Common respiratory symptoms of COVID-19 include:
– Dry cough
– Shortness of breath
– Difficulty breathing
– Loss of smell or taste
– Wheezing
– Nasal congestion or runny nose
– Body aches and/or chills
– Fatigue
Can at home test detect Omicron?
No, at-home tests cannot detect Omicron. Omicron is a type of virus that is not covered by most at-home test kits. In order to accurately diagnose Omicron, a laboratory test must be performed.
Is COVID-19 a mild to severe respiratory?
Yes, COVID-19 is a mild to severe respiratory illness that can cause a range of symptoms, including fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties. In severe cases, it can lead to pneumonia and death.
Is the FDA approves the new Covid test?
No, the FDA has not yet approved any new Covid tests.
