Is antibody out there?!

Don’t worry – we’re here… and with a new COVID-19 inspired innovation!

As we know, due to the pandemic, the medical world has been rapidly innovating new ways to get tests out safely and quickly.

And, there has been more discussion on how to allow more people to have access to healthcare services while developing easier and faster testing methods.

Why are antibodies important?

 

Antibody testing is proving to be valuable since it can help control outbreaks and determine who’s been exposed.

And contributing to this need for tests has been a grad student from Muthesius University of Fine Arts and Design, Yue Zhao. The kit is called “Testen?Testen!” which is an at-home antibody test kit. (In case it’s not clear, the name is German for “testing? testing!”)

This new test uses high-velocity micro-needles and a bit of vacuum pressure to quickly collect a few drops of blood from a person’s forearm.

How does it work?

After collecting the blood, the device uses a test antigen that’s mixed in with the blood at the push of a button. Then the results appear, similar to a pregnancy test.

Since it uses microneedles, it’s less painful and scary – and more simple to operate.

The results can also be mailed off to contact tracing labs where researchers can scan the test results and ID code without opening the package.

 

According to Zhao, “Compared with the current test product, the ‘Testen?Testen!’ test kit provides a safe and comfortable antibody test method. The whole process is needleless and painless, providing users with a friendly and convenient test experience. And it takes into account the security and efficiency of data collection.”

The proposal was even awarded a national runner-up in this year’s Dyson Awards. Which shows that this has a lot of potential to be something everyone would want to use in the future.

Why is rapid testing important to the medical world?

Even though most people like to discuss the upcoming vaccine, it’s still essential that in the meantime there are innovations to technology that can be used post-pandemic.

Also, the need to make easier at-home tests is crucial to staying healthy while saving time and money since most people don’t like to take time out of their day to go get tested for anything.

What do you think about the medical advancements being made during the pandemic? Do you think we’re doing enough, or should we be doing more? Would you use an at-home test kit like this one? Let us know your thoughts in the comments box below!