The Power of the Breath
UC Davis professor develops a device for COVID-19 detection
One new trick a dog can learn is how to smell COVID-19 . But although studies show they can accurately detect coronavirus infections , training enough canines to recognize the scent will take a long time to scale up . Cristina Davis , a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering and associate dean of research for the UC Davis College of Engineering , has a faster tool set to enter the industry by the end of 2022 : a breathalyzer-like device to detect COVID-19 and its severity in individuals . Davis aims to use the device in various settings such as airplanes , hospitals or for mass screening at a football stadium , she says .
For more than 20 years , Davis has been working in the field of chemical sensing and breath research . But the pandemic put her field under the microscope .
“ The pandemic really helped to highlight what this field had to offer … and now I see a lot of changes and a lot of investment happening in a fairly short time frame ,” Davis says .
Funded by the National Institutes of Health and CITRIS Seed Funding in 2019 and 2020 , her project links academic and commercial arenas — a bridge Davis admits is tricky to navigate . UC Davis has programs to assist professors and students with big ideas , but innovators can choose which path they prefer . The university can license a patent to industry . Or the faculty and student inventors may decide to serve as co-founders of a new company , or take a short leave of absence from the university to put their effort into the business .
With the mixed-use innovation district , Aggie Square , coming online soon , Davis sees more possibilities for the region to grow as a medtech hub . Personalized , at-home monitoring will continue to be useful , especially for the aging population looking to stay healthy and stay in their homes longer . But a major challenge is bringing products to market that not only meet the needs of individuals , she says , but also cross socioeconomic divides , supporting individuals who may not have as much disposable income or know how to integrate technology into their daily lives . “ I think the technology developers should pay more attention to that going forward ,” she says , “ because I think that is the way to have the biggest impact to help a large segment of the California population .”
– Russell Nichols in each clinical setting , you have to start from a position of learning how clinical data collection works currently and also understand the financial incentives involved , and what it takes to change their standards of care , Adams says .
“ If you don ’ t approach it from that perspective ,” he says , “ you ’ re almost doomed to failure .”
‘ The easy part ’
When it comes to medical technology , providers also have a learning curve . For example , not all patients have equal broadband access . If providers use specific software , patients might not be able to download and connect . This means telehealth isn ’ t the quick plug-and-play solution some clinicians may think it is .
“ Everyone thought that if they had broadband and a camera , they could do telehealth ,” Siddiqui says . “ But none of them took into account the art of telehealth . … The provider has to be comfortable . They can ’ t come on and say , ‘ Hey , can you see me ? I can see you . Wow , this thing really works !’”
This concept of digital presence ( e . g ., video quality , audio , lighting , background ) plays a big role in connecting to a patient virtually . Also , privacy issues need to be taken into account , even more so than before . Neither the provider nor patient would want to set up a video call near a door or window where other people may hear . The medium also requires physicians to know how to do home-based physical exams and be creative with checking vital signs . Smartwatches and apps can assist with temperature , blood pressure , heart rate and even oxygen saturation , Siddiqui says . “ Having a webcam and broadband is the easy part ,” he says .
One of the hardest parts is the uncertainty of the future . The suspension of previous telehealth policies is not indefinite . “ Will ( the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services ) try to put the genie back in the bottle ?” Siddiqui wonders . If so , he believes the decision will be met with a great deal of public outrage . But only time will tell .
“ We just can ’ t assume it won ’ t go back to how it was ,” he says . “ Hopefully the current administration and Congress will see this and the value it brings to telehealth delivery and make it become a permanent thing .”
Russell Nichols is a freelance writer who focuses on technology , culture and mental health . On Twitter @ russellnichols .
April 2022 | comstocksmag . com 63