Engineers from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, N.J., created biosensor technology that could one day be used to create wearable devices that could detect biomarkers of cancer, bacteria, viruses and other contaminants.
The technology works by electronically barcoding microparticles and is 95 percent accurate at detecting biomarkers. Rutgers engineers are working to achieve 100 percent accuracy and equip the device to detect microorganisms like bacteria, as well. Because the technology is fully electronic, it can be reduced to the size of a microchip or wearable arm band. The invention is described in a study published in the journal Lab on a Chip.
"Imagine a small tool that could analyze a swab sample of what's on the doorknob of a bathroom or front door and detect influenza or a wide array of other virus particles," said Mehdi Javanmard, PhD, an assistant professor in the department of electrical and computer engineering at Rutgers. "Imagine ordering a salad at a restaurant and testing it for E. coli or Salmonella bacteria."
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