Feature Stories - A revolutionary portable lab for rapid and low-cost diagnosis

Do you remember James Bond film Casino Royale? After being poisoned, the agent uses a portable diagnostic kit to identify the toxic substance and alert his HQ in London. Such type of technology is not fiction anymore. European researchers have developed a ground-breaking diagnostic system based on smart cards and skin patches combined with a portable reader. Test results can directly be sent to a remote computer, a tablet or a smartphone through a wireless connection. This small lab can already detect cocaine consumption, monitor colon cancer, identify bacteria in food and analyse environmental contamination. Many other useful applications can be foreseen. Companies in Spain, Ireland and Denmark will soon commercialise this innovative diagnostic system.

Further information: cordis.europa.eu