A new technology developed by Control Energy Corporation detects the presence of the new coronavirus in the air and activates an alarm.
BioCloud is the name of the wall device developed by the Canadian company. The first tests conducted in a controlled environment gave positive results. The device was able to detect Covid in the air, according to the company and researchers involved in the project.
Paul Ghezzi, the company's CEO, reports that he is working to install the BioCloud in schools and mass transit by November.
A turning point in the fight against the virus
There is no doubt that if the effectiveness of this technology were confirmed it would be a truly important step in the prevention of the disease. Buses, subways, closed and crowded places could keep the situation under control. A device that detects Covid in the air would allow timely intervention and better management of the emergency.
When we look at the whole ecosystem of how we survive this pandemic, having this safe technology that detects Covid in the air allows us to identify the virus more quickly. It allows us to trace any contact with the virus more quickly. Maybe we can close one classroom at a time, instead of the whole school.
Paul Ghezzi, CEO of Kontrol Energy Corporation
Independently tested
The company has been working on the technology in its labs since March and has organized testing at two independent labs that are part of Western University.
One of the testers was Dr. David Heinrichs, professor of microbiology and immunology at Western.
“There is no doubt that this technology can quickly and effectively detect a range of airborne pathogens, including the virus that causes COVID-19. Our results are absolutely conclusive,” Professor Heinrichs said.
Kontrol Energy hopes to produce up to 20.000 BioCloud units per month at a cost of $12.000 each in the United States, although Ghezzi said the cost of the device could drop significantly as demand grows.
BioCloud, like a canary in a mine
BioCloud works with a special filter that collects aerosol in environments and analyzes it with proprietary technology.
The prototype's detection chamber needs to be replaced after coming into contact with the coronavirus, but work is underway to equip BioCloud with a self-cleaning filter for continuous use.
There are no immediate plans to develop a unit that works in the home. Ghezzi says the company is working on the concept of a device similar to a breathalyzer that detects Covid in the airbut that requires a longer development cycle and different health clearances from the Canadian Department of Health.
For now, the company's main goal is to sell its technology to schools, hospitals and mass transit systems.
