New portable blood test kit is cheap, fast, and accurate

In rural and remote areas, doctors might not have access to the lab equipment needed for the tests. That can mean patients either have to travel to the nearest place with the equipment, something that’s not always possible, or simply skip the tests.

Researchers have designed a low-cost, portable blood test kit that can analyse samples anywhere there’s electricity. 

The kit is largely autonomous, with a user-friendly interface, and it can provide glucose levels in just 30 seconds. Most importantly, it’s accurate when compared to the results of standard lab equipment, it delivered an almost perfect match.

The device automatically mixes blood with an ideal amount of reagent  something that triggers a chemical reaction that makes it easier to detect or measure a specific substance in a sample.

After the mixing, light is shone on the sample/reagent combination. A computer measures the light’s intensity after it passes through the liquid and uses that data to determine the amount of glucose in the sample. 

By swapping out the reagent and wavelength of light, doctors can measure red blood cell levels instead of glucose that could be useful for diagnosing anemia , kidney problems, certain types of cancer, and more.

Right now, the new blood test kit is limited to glucose and red blood cell measurements, but the researchers are working to expand the types of testing it can handle they’d like to see it used to measure cholesterol, triglycerides, and more.