Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Hyderabad based a research team develops a low-cost COVID-19 testing kit that is powered by Artificial Intelligence. 

As per reports from IIT Hyderabad, the testing kit produces results within 20 minutes for both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. At present, the test kit costs Rs 600 for a single test. However, mass production will reduce the price to Rs 350. 

To file a patent, a model of this testing kit has been sent to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for approval. Already clinical trials have been conducted in ESIC Medical College and Hospital of Hyderabad and also proved its efficiency. 

As transporting is easier, tests can be conducted at the point of care. It has also aided in identifying unique sequences of conversed genomes of COVID-19.

One of the most prominent benefits of this testing kit is that it does not function based on the Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) method. 

A research team at IIT Hyderabad that developed the testing kit was headed by Prof. Shiv Govind Singh, Department of Electrical Engineering. 

It also included Dr Suryasnata Tripathy, a postdoctoral fellow, Patta Supraja, a fourth-year doctoral student and other students as funding agencies supported the project.

Singh said, “The Research Team has the manpower and the capability required for mass production of this testing kit. 

We are now planning to raise funds from various Government and Private sources towards this end. This device is IIT Hyderabad’s small contribution to the Nation at the time of this crisis.”

The team developed Artificial Intelligence tools for capturing vast expanses of data points and minimizing decision-making errors.