Sensors are being developed by Airbus and a California startup company, Koniku, to see if they can "sniff out" COVID-19. The companies have already collaborated in developing technology that detects, tracks, and locates chemicals and explosives on aircrafts in airports.
According to Fox News, that technology now is being adapted to include the dangers of biological hazards. The companies hope to develop sensors that would detect molecular changes in the composition of breath and sweat of passengers that could indicate the presence of COVID-19.
The science behind the technology is not unlike the concept of training dogs to sniff out an array of substances from human breath, ranging from cancer to blood sugar levels in those with diabetes. According to ABC News, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine already have a new program to see if dogs can detect the current strain of the coronavirus.
Koniku plans to program the DNA of the virus into the sensors that would sound an alarm when they "smell" those molecular compounds on a passenger. That person would then be screened for COVID-19 thanks to a contactless detection. According to Fox News, Airbus is hoping to install the sensors at airports or on the aircrafts themselves.
Lynn C. Allison ✉
Lynn C. Allison, a Newsmax health reporter, is an award-winning medical journalist and author of more than 30 self-help books.
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