Test results from the University of Oregon position BioFlash as a commercial environmental monitoring solution for SARS-CoV-2
Smiths Detection, a global leader in threat detection and security screening technologies, confirms its BioFlash® Biological Identifier is capable of detecting airborne COVID-19 following tests conducted by the University of Oregon, positioning the technology as an effective environmental monitoring tool for use in indoor public spaces.
The University of Oregon tests were performed in quarantine and isolation spaces known to have individuals who had tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 (the virus causing COVID-19). The BioFlash identified aerosolized virus, at the detectable range generated via human shedding, in rooms where environmental swabs also detected the presence of SARS-CoV-2. The BioFlash® technology allows onsite confirmation of these results in under three minutes.
The findings build on previously reported USAMRIID test results from February 2021 that determined Smiths Detection’s BioFlash® detected aerosolized SARS-CoV-2 in a controlled release.
“These test results verify the accuracy and reliability of the BioFlash® in a real-world setting,” said Roland Carter, President of Smiths Detection. “An effective monitoring tool such as BioFlash can contribute to creating a COVID-secure environment indoors, in places such as hospitals, schools, and commercial buildings, as well as provide invaluable data for better understanding the behavior of this virus. We will continue to explore the capabilities of this technology with a view to informing COVID-19 mitigation strategies.”
The product is available immediately in the US and arrangements for a global rollout are underway.
About BioFlash Biological Identifier
The BioFlash® Biological Identifier is powered by CANARY® technology (a cell-based biosensor). It is combined with proprietary aerosol-collection techniques to provide rapid, sensitive, and specific identification of biological-threat agents including viruses, toxins, and bacteria.