New Smart Device by BITS Hyderabad Enables Instant Kidney Screening
At BITS Hyderabad, a Smart Kidney Testing Device has been developed a device that can help assess kidney function by measuring key biomarkers in minutes! The compact device was meant to make kidney testing faster and easier. By delivering results in a small amount of time, this makes it easier for doctors or healthcare workers living in rural areas where access to the nearest diagnostic laboratory is more walking than we ever do in a day.
A Portable Solution for Kidney Function Testing
This device helps measure three important kidney biomarkers—creatinine, urea, and uric acid. Doctors use these results in order to find out the condition of the patient. Unlike normal Kidney Function Tests, which usually require blood samples to be sent to a laboratory for analysis, this small device can perform the test in a few minutes. This gives healthcare workers a chance to rely on fast and easy diagnostics. Its compact design also makes it easier to carry and can be used in various healthcare settings and remote areas.
Smartphone-Connected Technology
The device is made by combining laser-induced graphene technology with advanced electrochemical sensors to provide fast and accurate results.
One of its best features is that it can connect directly to a smartphone. The results can be seen with the help of a web browser, making it easier to access. Healthcare workers can access this information much faster than waiting for the laboratory result.
According to The Economic Times, this device could make Kidney Disease screening much more accessible by reducing the need for lengthy laboratory procedures. It may also make the testing process easier for both healthcare providers and patients.
Why Early Detection Matters?
Kidney Diseases usually develop slowly, so the symptoms show up later, but by then the patient would have taken a serious turn for the worse.
Kidney Tests require patients to visit a diagnostic centre where the sample is taken, and the patient just waits. These delays make it more difficult to detect the disease at an early stage.
The portable device developed in BITS Hyderabad fights this challenge by delivering results within minutes. Faster testing could help doctors make faster clinical decisions and improve patient care.
Improving Healthcare Access
As explained earlier, this device can be used to its highest potential in rural areas and improve the reach of healthcare in remote areas.
Access to diagnostic laboratories remains limited in some rural and remote areas. This makes it difficult for the locals to get treated. By the use of this device, it could enable earlier screening and timely medical evaluation. This reduces the chances of the disease becoming worse.
What’s Next for This Smart Kidney Testing Device?
The research team at BITS Pilani, Hyderabad has shown encouraging results during laboratory evaluation. in showing how accurately the device can demonstrate performance during laboratory testing. But this device is still not ready for medical use yet. The plan is to conduct clinical trials to understand how the device would work in the real world. This can also help improve the overall performance of the device.
Once the trials have been completed and successfully validated through clinical studies, the device could improve point-of-care kidney function screening. It can give rise to a future where medical access is easier.
