Instantaneous Viral Detection of SARS‐CoV‐2 and Beyond using Electromagnetic Sensing

• DOI: 10.1002/adsr.202300135
• Publication Date: 2023-11-28T05:57:58Z
• Authors: Rayan Al Sayed Ali; Nader Shafi; Fatima Asadallah; Rachel Njeim; Habib Al Kalamouni; Hassan Zaraket; Rouwaida Kanj; Assaad Eid; Joseph Costantine; Youssef Tawk
• Keywords: non‐chemical; microwave resonators; Science; instantaneous viral detection; Q; microwave sensor; T1-995; 01 natural sciences; SARS‐CoV‐2; Technology (General); 0104 chemical sciences

AbstractThis study proposes a highly sensitive portable device that utilizes electromagnetic waves and data analytics for instantaneous Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome CoronaVirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) detection. The device consists of a Radio Frequency (RF) circuit that interprets reflected and transmitted electromagnetic waves to identify virus signatures in physiologically significant matrices, including human saliva and diluted nasopharyngeal swabs. The sensor's accuracy is validated in both pre‐clinical and clinical settings, where clinical measurements demonstrate an instantaneous detection accuracy of 94%, sensitivity of 95%, and specificity of 97.5% between the sensor's physical parameters and SARS‐CoV‐2 detection. The sensor's accurate real‐time response is due to its unique design and precise modeling techniques. In addition, the same sensing system is tested across different viruses and its ability to differentiate between influenza A, respiratory syncytial, and SARS‐CoV‐2 viruses is proven. Hence this work presents a holistic system that can predict the viral concentration of SARS‐CoV‐2, as well as differentiate between different viruses instantaneously and without adding any amplifying agent.