Scientists from CU Boulder and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have developed a laser-based breathalyzer powered by artificial intelligence (AI) that can detect COVID-19 in real-time with excellent accuracy. The device uses breath analysis as an alternative, rapid, non-invasive test for COVID-19 and has the potential to diagnose diverse conditions and disease states. The “frequency comb breathalyzer” uses Nobel Prize-winning technology from CU and could revolutionize medical diagnostics. The team is now focusing on a wide range of other diseases with the potential for patients to blow into a mouthpiece integrated into their phones to get real-time health information.
The breathalyzer uses the unique chemical fingerprint or “breathprint” that humans exhale with each breath. It produces over 1,000 distinct molecules that can provide valuable insights into what’s happening inside the body. For years, scientists have tried to harness this information, using dogs, rats, and even bees to sniff out diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and tuberculosis.
The multidisciplinary team of physicists, biochemists, and biologists is now focusing on a wide range of other diseases, hoping that the “frequency comb breathalyzer” could revolutionize medical diagnostics. The breathalyzer was born of Nobel Prize-winning technology from CU and has the potential to diagnose diverse conditions and disease states rapidly and non-invasively.
“Our results demonstrate the promise of breath analysis as an alternative, rapid, non-invasive test for COVID-19 and highlight its remarkable potential for diagnosing diverse conditions and disease states,” said Qizhong Liang, a PhD candidate in JILA and the Department of Physics at CU Boulder, and the first author of the study.
The team is hopeful that in the future, people could go to the doctor and have their breath measured alongside their height and weight. Alternatively, they could blow into a mouthpiece integrated into their phone and get real-time information about their health.
Since then, Ye’s team has improved the sensitivity of the technology a thousandfold, enabling the detection of trace molecules at the parts-per-trillion level. They have also linked specific molecules to disease states, paving the way for the breathalyzer’s potential use in medical diagnostics.
The team’s findings were published in the Journal of Breath Research on April 5. The research is a result of a collaboration that began during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The breakthrough represents a significant step forward in the diagnosis of diseases using exhaled breath. The breathalyzer’s potential to diagnose COVID-19 and other diseases rapidly and non-invasively could revolutionize medical diagnostics, making it possible for people to get real-time information about their health. The potential of the breathalyzer is endless, and the team is hopeful that it will change the face of medical diagnostics in the future.
Reference: Liang Q, Chan YC, Toscano J, et al. Breath analysis by ultra-sensitive broadband laser spectroscopy detects SARS-CoV-2 infection. J Breath Res. 2023;17(3):036001. doi: 10.1088/1752-7163/acc6e4