I-Corps: Nanoparticle-based smell test device for COVID-19 screening

这个i-Corps项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是为新冠肺炎开发可靠的快速筛查。全球新冠肺炎诊断市场正在迅速扩张。2020年市场规模为198亿美元，预计2021年至2027年的复合年增长率(CAGR)为3.1%。与现有的气味测试相比，该技术便于远程控制多个气味分子的开关能力和即时自动评估。建议的装置允许使用单个装置标准化地排放多个气味分子。此外，该设备的结果可以直接通过应用程序或通过网络传递，从而能够在远程医疗设置中进行测试。由于没有可靠的检测方法来快速诊断无症状和无症状的新冠肺炎病例，这项技术可能会改变诊断的范式。这个i-Corps项目是基于一种基于纳米颗粒的气味测试设备的开发。建议的基于纳米颗粒的系统根据需要触发特定分子的受控释放。这种嗅觉测试仪在诊断影响嗅觉的疾病方面具有潜在的应用价值。由于嗅觉受损是新冠肺炎在无症状和无症状病例中的明显标志，这项技术有可能对疾病进行筛查和早期诊断。此外，与传统的嗅觉测试不同，这项拟议的技术被设计成可以配置为任何形状的因素，从盘子到笔，再到并入吸入器。这项技术允许对多个气味强度进行定量控制，从而促进了迄今无法获得的新的详细数据层。了解新冠肺炎在嗅觉方面的影响将为诊断和疾病管理打开新的大门。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并已通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of reliable rapid screening for COVID-19. The global COVID-19 diagnostics market is expanding rapidly. The market size is valued at $19.8 billion in 2020 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.1% from 2021 to 2027. Compared to the existing smell tests, the proposed technology facilitates remote-controlled switching capacity of multiple odor molecules and instant auto-evaluation. The proposed device allows standardized emission of multiple odor molecules using a single device. Moreover, results from the device may be delivered directly through the app or over the web enabling testing in telemedicine settings. Since there is no reliable testing for rapid diagnosis of asymptomatic and presymptomatic COVID-19 cases, this technology may potentially change the paradigm of diagnosis.This I-Corps project is based on the development of a nanoparticle-based smell test device. The proposed nanoparticle-based system triggers the controlled release of specific molecules on demand. This smell test device has potential application in the diagnosis of diseases affecting the sense of smell. Since an impaired sense of smell is a distinct sign of COVID-19 in both asymptomatic and presymptomatic cases, this technology has the potential for screening and early diagnosis of the disease. Moreover, unlike traditional smell tests, the proposed technology is designed such that it may be configured into any form factor from a plate to a pen to incorporation in an inhalation device. This technique allows quantitative control of multiple scent intensities facilitating a new layer of detailed data that has hereto not been available. Understanding the impact of COVID-19 in olfaction will open new doors in diagnosis and disease management.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.