Testen? Testen!
Home antibody-test that doesn't scare you off
The current testing methods, which involve taking blood, can be uncomfortable and difficult to perform at home. Now Yue Zhaoa, a graduate student at the Muthesius University of Fine Arts and Design has come up with a better way. Dubbed Testen? Testen! (Testing? Testing!), the home antibody test kit uses high-velocity microneedles and slight vacuum pressure to rapidly collect a few drops of blood from the user’s forearm. Testen comes pre-loaded with the test antigen and once the blood is collected in the device, it is mixed with the antigen at the push of a button. The result appears in the device, such as it does in a pregnancy test. The Testen device can be easily used one-handed and is simple to operate. After the results are collected, the entire device can be mailed off to contact tracing institutions. Because it uses microneedles, Testen is much easier and more comfortable (and less scary) to use than existing methods, which require users to prick their finger with a needle.