Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, the governor of Yogyakarta, once tested a rapid diagnostic tool trial for Sars-Cov2 infection through UGM’s artificial breath when welcoming UGM leaders researchers in an audience on Monday (12/10) at the Kepatihan Complex.
The trial was done by breathing into a non-rebreathing mask that will be proceeded to the GeNose device.
“In this meeting, we delivered the progress of GeNose innovation, which is now conducting the process of clinical trials, diagnostic tests, and waiting for distribution permits from the Ministry of Health,” said UGM Rector, Ir. Panut Mulyono, M.Eng., D.Eng., IPU, ASEAN Eng.
The GeNose is an electronic nose that works with a sensing system or sensors to recognize compounds’ patterns. GeNose is designed to detect Volatile Organic Compound patterns formed from Covid-19 infection within the human breath.
This tool is considered one of UGM’s innovative products to detect Covid-19 instantly and accurately.
dr. Dian Kesumapramudya N., Sp.A., M.Sc., Ph.D., is one of the GeNose research team members who attended this meeting. She explained that GeNose could be used as a screening method, such as rapid tests and PCR.
Several steps still have to be examined before this tool can start to be produced massively. The diagnostic test process is projected to launch this week, and it is expected that the production process can start in mid-November.
“Hopefully, the mass production will start in November after this tool is presented to the Ministry of Health. Some procedures must comply, and this absolutely will take time,” he explained.
For the self-diagnosis test, Dian explained that there were many as 1,600 subjects, with 3,200 samples required. This sample will be taken from nine hospitals, including dr. Sardjito, UGM Academic Hospital, and RSPAU Hardjolukito.
Before the diagnostic test, this tool had earlier passed a profiling test using 600 samples of valid data and showed high accuracy, as much as 97 percent.
GeNose has some advantages as a fast detection tool for Covid-19, particularly high reliability. It uses sensors that can be used by tens of thousands of patients in the long term. It can also provide a relatively fast, non-invasive, and requires low testing costs using masks, non-rebreathing, and disposable Hepa filters.
Dian revealed that it would have high accuracy on its tests because it uses an artificial intelligence system. And through diagnostic tests that will be conducted over the next few weeks, and when the results release, it will show whether this product is suitable for an accurate medical device.
“Throughout a diagnostic test, we will clarify our doubts about this tool,” she said.
Author: Gloria
Translator: Natasa A