Two additional technologies being developed in ATTRACT projects have started working on projects to help fight Covid-19. ATTRACT researchers are exploring their technologies to see if they can be used for faster detection of Covid-19.
The ATTRACT project is a pioneering initiative funded by the European Union to accelerate breakthrough innovation in Europe. The ATTRACT seed fund is backing 170 breakthrough detection and imaging technologies with the potential to create products, services, companies, and jobs.
ATTRACT project FUSCLEAN to develop a new device to ‘see’ coronavirus
The ATTRACT project FUSCLEAN is exploring a technology that could be used to ‘see’ coronavirus-contaminated areas on surfaces. Researchers will study optical technology to design a device that could enable a fast and contactless analysis of surfaces contaminated by SARS-CoV-2. The technology would combine image acquisition systems in optical and terahertz ranges and artificial intelligence.
“This method would apply machine learning for a rapid analysis without contacting contaminated areas by mapping contamination in the field of view”
“This method would apply machine learning for rapid analysis without contacting contaminated areas by mapping contamination in the field of view,” says Emilio Gómez, principal investigator of the ATTRACT project FUSCLEAN. This new approach to fight Covid-19 is funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (Instituto de Salud Carlos III) under a special call for research projects on SARS-CovV-2.
ATTRACT project SMILE: tools for large scale screening of SARS-Cov-2 saliva-based detection
The U.S. Food Drug Administration recently authorised the use of home-collected saliva to detect SARS Cov-2. The possibility for patients to self-collect saliva samples for analysis will improve the accessibility to Covid-19 testing and decrease the risks of infection for medical personnel.
The ATTRACT Project SMILE focuses on the detection of oral cancer biomarkers from saliva samples, facilitating the collection and sample handling and therefore allowing a large- scale screening. Using the same approach of their ATTRACT technology, STMicroelectronics and CNR NANOTEC are working on the sample collection prototype developing a plastic microfluidic, highly customisable tool in order to develop a low-cost, disposable and user-friendly device.
They are currently working with artificial saliva, mimicking real samples and investigating the possibility to develop a disposable tool able to stabilise, preserve and prepare saliva samples also usable for COVID-19 detection
They are currently working with artificial saliva, mimicking real samples and investigating the possibility to develop a disposable tool able to stabilise, preserve and prepare saliva samples also usable for
Covid-19 detection. They also plan to test pre-loaded reagents in the tool, that may automatically mix to the sample directly on-chip. This tool will be useful for other unconventional samples (like tears, urine, sweat) with the possibility of having wide application in specific diagnostic devices potentially helping clinicians in the fast and safe management of patients.
This article was first published on 12 June by ATTRACT.
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