US scientists reported about the invention of a small device that is connected to a smartphone and enables the mobile phone to diagnose syphilis and HIV. According to the developers, the new product that costs $34 can replace laboratory equipment which costs thousands of dollars.
To make the analysis, you need to place a drop of blood in a special disposable cartridge filled with reagents for the detection of antibodies to HIV and syphilis. Then the cassette is inserted into the receiver that is connected to the smartphone through the headphone jack. In such a way, the application runs on your phone. After 15 minutes, the results are displayed. It should also be noted that this procedure takes a very small amount of phone energy.
Currently, a team of scientists is testing this device in the Republic of Rwanda. 97% of the participants were satisfied with the quality, simplicity and high speed of the procedure and agreed to recommend this gadget to their friends.
In the future, the scientists plan to expand the list of diseases diagnosed by this device. It is still unknown, however, when these smartphone applications can appear on the free market.
