Researchers have invented a lab-on-a-chip that can be 3D printed in just 30 minutes. The chip has the potential to make on-the-spot testing widely accessible.
As part of a recent study, the team developed capillaric chips that act as miniature laboratories. Unlike other computer microprocessors, these chips are single-use and require no external power source — a simple paper strip suffices. They function through capillary action — the very phenomena by which a spilled liquid on the kitchen table spontaneously wicks into the paper towel used to wipe it up.
At-home testing became crucial during the COVID-19 pandemic. But rapid tests have limited availability and can only drive one liquid across the strip, meaning most diagnostics are still done in central labs. Notably, the capillaric chips can be 3D-printed for various tests, including COVID-19 antibody quantification.
The study brings 3D printed home diagnostics one step closer to reality, though some challenges remain, such as regulatory approvals and securing necessary test materials. The team is actively working to make their technology more accessible, adapting it for use with affordable 3D printers. The innovation aims to speed up diagnoses, enhance patient care, and usher in a new era of accessible testing.
More From SAE Media Group
Medical Manufacturing and Machining INSIDER
Faster, Cheaper Method Developed to Produce Microfluidics
Medical Design Briefs
DIY Kits Enable Users to Build Their Own Peristaltic Pumps for Microfluidics
Medical Design Briefs
3D Printed Unique Micro-Scale Fluid Channels Made for Medical Testing
Medical Design Briefs
Micron-Sized Lab-on-a-Chip Devices
Medical Design Briefs INSIDER
Automated Robotic Device Makes Blood Testing Faster
Medical Design Briefs
IVD Market to See Significant Drop in Sales as COVID-19 Emergency Ends
Medical Design Briefs
Microfluidic Chip Tests Drug Sensitivity
Medical Design Briefs
COVID-19: Siemens Connects Providers and Designers to Produce Components
Medical Design Briefs
Breakthrough Rapid COVID-19 Detection Test Works in Less Than a Second
Medical Manufacturing and Machining INSIDER
3D Printing Lays the Foundation for a New Arsenal of Diagnostic Tests
Medical Design Briefs
From the Editor - Study: The Post-COVID Impact of 3D Printing and Generative Design
Medical Design Briefs
Sense Accelerates Instrument-Free Molecular Diagnostic Test for COVID-19
Medical Design Briefs
Lab-on-a-Chip Delivers Critical Immunity Data for Vulnerable Populations
Medical Design Briefs
Portable COVID Test Delivers Fast, Accurate Results
Medical Design Briefs
Virtual Roundtable to Focus on Using Precision AM to Fight COVID-19
Medical Design Briefs
From the Editor - How 3D Printing Could Improve Spinal Surgery
