Low-Cost Smartphone Dongle Detects HIV, Syphilis In 15 Minutes

Colombia University in New York has developed a new device, that connects to the audio jack of a smartphone and can diagnosis serious infectious diseases. The device is developed by a team lead by Samuel Sia, an associate professor at the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Columbia University in New York.

Presently the sensor can detect HIV and Syphilis. To achieve it uses disposable plastic cassettes that are loaded with reagents which detect HIV antibodies. It can also detect treponemal-specific and non-treponemal antibodies which is present on those infected with syphilis.

The mobile lab device, known as dongle cost $34 to make and scientists claim that this could replace the standard diagnostic equipments costing $18,000.


This disease sensor operates in part by the user pressing down on a negative pressure chamber inside that moves the sequence of reagents that are stored in the cassette. The test taked around 15 minutes to run, and one test, screens multiple diseases. It runs off a prick of your finger to draw blood.

To check its effectiveness the device was tested in Rwanda on 96 patients who were at the risk of passing sexually transmitted disease. The scientist after comparing the results with ELSA testing found it nearly as accurate.