Canadians set up an automatic mini blood test lab



    Many of us donated blood for a general analysis when blood is taken from a finger. But sometimes blood is taken for an extended analysis, when a needle is driven into a vein and a sufficiently large amount of blood is taken. All this is rather unpleasant, but nothing can be done, the blood sampling procedure has not changed for several decades.

    The technology proposed by Canadians (University of Calgary) allows an advanced blood test to be performed through a special micro laboratory based on a single microchip. The whole blood test procedure is also automated, and the results of the analysis are transmitted to the server wirelessly.

    The developers of the new technology argue that for a complete blood test now much less fluid is needed than before - just one picoliter will be enough. The whole procedure is also filmed on a high-speed camera.

    A new method involves the use of structures called microemulsions. In this case, a drop of liquid is applied to the other layer, but both substances do not mix (water and vegetable oil can be taken as an example). Such a mixing process eliminates the need for many steps to separate blood, separate drops, and so on. All this, as already mentioned, is carried out automatically, including analysis of finished samples. As a result, only one person is needed to operate such a “laboratory”.

    The creators of the technology believe that on the basis of this method it is possible to create devices for home use, or for working in the field. Now many of us use portable electronic devices for measuring pressure, in a few years, perhaps devices for home blood tests will also appear in pharmacies.

    Well, and if you show imagination, you can think about the connection of such devices with services like Google Health. Now the patient will not need to spend time and go to the hospital for a blood test, wasting time, all this can be done in a couple of minutes.

    Let's hope that the technology will really develop, and in a few years the devices mentioned above will be on sale.

    Via Ucalgary

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