Saliva Test Instantly Detects Coronavirus with Lasers

Responding to the European Commission’s call to tackle the coronavirus pandemic, photonics scientists are developing a new, rapid, noninvasive “optical biosensor” demonstrator that will detect COVID-19 in humans as soon as it is present in the body. Having already created six working laboratory demonstrators for other applications, the research team said the technology still needs further adaptation and testing but could be available in a year at the latest. Calling themselves CONVAT and coordinated at the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), the researchers have tested the demonstrators on patients’ samples provided by Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus and several other...