ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Tech

Hand-held breath monitor can detect if you’re infected with the flu

It's similar to the breath alcohol tester used by the police but for the flu.

Tibi PuiubyTibi Puiu
February 7, 2017
in Health, News, Tech
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubmit to Reddit
Perena Gouma pictured with her invention -- a hand-held breath monitor that can detect the flu virus. Credit: UT Arlington
Perena Gouma pictured with her invention — a hand-held breath monitor that can detect the flu virus. Credit: UT Arlington

American researchers from the University of Texas at Arlington have invented a breath analyzer similar to the one used by the police to screen DUIs, only instead of alcohol the device detects the flu virus. You simply exhale into the nozzle of the device and semiconductor sensors quickly detect whether or not there’s a sign of the flu.

Sensors typically used to detect asthma and diabetes were combined to spot biomarkers of the flu virus. Credit: UTA.
Sensors typically used to detect asthma and diabetes were combined to spot biomarkers of the flu virus. Credit: UTA.

A flu diagnosis device might seem silly. After all, it’s no secret you’ve got the flu when the forehead is burning, muscles ache or nose is running. But such a device could be truly valuable if people used it to screen for flu before the symptoms hit.

Perena Gouma,  a professor in the Materials Science and Engineering Department at The University of Texas at Arlington, envisions such a tool used anywhere from hospitals to drugstores. People simply have to exhale and can in a matter of seconds learn whether or not they’ve been infected. Patients can then take preemptive measures before the symptoms kick in. Whole flu pandemics could be halted and lives saved — around 4,600 people die because of the flu yearly, according to the CDC.

The flu breathanalyzer’s working principle works on the validated idea that a person infected with the flu exhales certain biomarkers. These markers have been extensively studied and documented in scientific literature. Based on this knowledge, it was a matter of tuning gas sensors to these markers. Specifically, a nitric oxide and an ammonia sensor were used to make it possible to detect the flu virus.

“I think that technology like this is going to revolutionize personalized diagnostics. This will allow people to be proactive and catch illnesses early, and the technology can easily be used to detect other diseases, such as Ebola virus disease, simply by changing the sensors,” said Gouma.

Previously, the only way to detect flu biomarkers from a person’s breath was to use very expensive lab equipment operated by trained, highly paid personnel. Theoretically, anyone could use the device developed at UTA.

There’s no reason to believe why a similar device can’t be used to detect a range of other diseases, including Ebola.

Findings appeared in the journal Sensors.

RelatedPosts

A mother used her EV to power her son’s dialysis machine amid storms and a blackout
Elon Musk shows off Falcon Heavy one month before its maiden flight
Where is the center of the universe (or is there even one)?
A 6,000-year-old fruit fly gave the world modern cheeses and yogurts

 

 

ShareTweetShare
Tibi Puiu

Tibi Puiu

Tibi is a science journalist and co-founder of ZME Science. He writes mainly about emerging tech, physics, climate, and space. In his spare time, Tibi likes to make weird music on his computer and groom felines. He has a B.Sc in mechanical engineering and an M.Sc in renewable energy systems.

Related Posts

Chemistry

A Simple Heat Hack Could Revolutionize How We Produce Yogurt

byMihai Andrei
9 hours ago
Future

Scientists Create a ‘Smart Sponge’ That Knows When to Heal and When to Fight Inflammation

byMihai Andrei
10 hours ago
News

The Race to the Bottom: Japan Is Set to Start Testing Deep-Sea Mining

byMihai Andrei
13 hours ago
News

Japan Just Smashed the Internet Speed World Record and It’s Much Faster Than You Think

byTudor Tarita
15 hours ago

Recent news

A Simple Heat Hack Could Revolutionize How We Produce Yogurt

July 18, 2025

Scientists Create a ‘Smart Sponge’ That Knows When to Heal and When to Fight Inflammation

July 18, 2025

The Race to the Bottom: Japan Is Set to Start Testing Deep-Sea Mining

July 18, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • How we review products
  • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Science News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Space
  • Future
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Physics
      • Matter and Energy
      • Quantum Mechanics
      • Thermodynamics
    • Chemistry
      • Periodic Table
      • Applied Chemistry
      • Materials
      • Physical Chemistry
    • Biology
      • Anatomy
      • Biochemistry
      • Ecology
      • Genetics
      • Microbiology
      • Plants and Fungi
    • Geology and Paleontology
      • Planet Earth
      • Earth Dynamics
      • Rocks and Minerals
      • Volcanoes
      • Dinosaurs
      • Fossils
    • Animals
      • Mammals
      • Birds
      • Fish
      • Amphibians
      • Reptiles
      • Invertebrates
      • Pets
      • Conservation
      • Animal facts
    • Climate and Weather
      • Climate change
      • Weather and atmosphere
    • Health
      • Drugs
      • Diseases and Conditions
      • Human Body
      • Mind and Brain
      • Food and Nutrition
      • Wellness
    • History and Humanities
      • Anthropology
      • Archaeology
      • History
      • Economics
      • People
      • Sociology
    • Space & Astronomy
      • The Solar System
      • Sun
      • The Moon
      • Planets
      • Asteroids, meteors & comets
      • Astronomy
      • Astrophysics
      • Cosmology
      • Exoplanets & Alien Life
      • Spaceflight and Exploration
    • Technology
      • Computer Science & IT
      • Engineering
      • Inventions
      • Sustainability
      • Renewable Energy
      • Green Living
    • Culture
    • Resources
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Editorial policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.