Low-cost lab
In a study published by PLOS ONE, a scientist from Queen Mary University of London developed a COVID-19 testing kit that is affordable and effective, costing $51 totally. According to research, regular testing effectively manages the COVID-19 pandemic, and such a low-cost lab testing solution will improve access to fast and effective testing.
Simple, non-invasive COVID-19 LAMP (Loop-meditated isothermal amplification) test uses low-cost hardware to process samples. The LAMP test offers an alternative to the PCR test that is accepted worldwide. LAMP test uses a saliva sample; it avoids the uncomfortable nasal swabs.
“We are excited for the potential of this mobile lab to do COVID-19 tests and the possibility to democratise access to inexpensive testing technology. It is made possible by our philosophy of creating low-cost instruments whenever possible from advances in electronics or existing instruments,” said Stoyan Smoukov, Professor of Chemical Engineering at the Queen Mary University of London.
