COVID-19 breathalyzer detects disease in seconds – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

Testing for COVID-19 has come so far since the start of the pandemic.

Soon, a device developed by a North Texas company could completely change the way we test.

You don’t have to take a COVID-19 test to know they’re not pleasant.

But what if detecting the virus was as easy as breathing?

“It’s a welcome change when people have to blow into a machine rather than having a tampon stuck in their nose,” said Dave Copps, CEO of Worlds Inc., a Dallas-based artificial intelligence company.

Copps and co-founder Chris Rohde help develop a state-of-the-art device called Worlds Protect.

“You just breathe into Protect and receive the results in about 15 seconds, under a minute,” Copps said.

In collaboration with Texas A&M University and the US Air Force, the aircraft resembles a kiosk.

It works when someone uses a disposable straw to blow into the machine. Test results are sent to their phone in seconds.

“What makes Protect unique is that it doesn’t directly detect the virus but rather the body’s unique chemical reaction to the virus,” said Copps.

At this time, the device is not being used to diagnose someone with COVID-19. Think of it as a screening system to tell you if you should get tested.

“This is really the big lack in our country,” said Copps.

Currently, Worlds Protect is being tested for accuracy in hospitals and universities nationwide.

A prototype at Texas A&M is a first in Texas.

But hundreds of people have been tested for it at BYU and at an Ohio air base.

How to avoid infection with COVID-19:

The best way to prevent infection is to take precautions to avoid exposure to this virus, which are similar to precautions you take to avoid the flu. CDC always recommends these daily actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, including:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with sick people.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

* Information shared by the office of Texas Governor Greg Abbott

The results, they say, suggest that the accuracy is comparable to that of PCR tests, the gold standard for diagnosing COVID-19.

“For us, we’re doing this because we want to help. We think we have the people and the technology to do this. So we’re running as fast as possible with some great partners to see if we can get there, ”said Copps.

If the device is successful, Copps and Rohde said it could be used to detect all types of diseases.

Prototypes will soon arrive at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio to be tested on Airmen reporting for basic training.

The hope is that the device will be ready for public use next year.

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* The locations on the map are approximate and central locations of the city and are not intended to indicate where people actually infected live.

** County totals below include the 32 North Texas counties, not just Collin, Dallas, Denton and Tarrant.

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