Mumbai-based diagnostic company MediCircle Health on 12 July launched a portable COVID-19 testing platform that is powered by machine learning and artificial intelligence and delivers results in just one second.

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SpectraLIT -- Spectral Instant Test -- detects COVID-19 by using an individual's nasal or mouthwash sample, eliminating the need for complex lab equipment and chemicals. It provides immediate results using the spectral signature of the virus. The AI algorithm enables SpectraLIT to distinguish between an infected person and a healthy person. Additionally, the algorithm can be adjusted to detect different variants of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.

SpectraLIT is developed by Newsight Imaging which specialises in developing advanced machine vision chip sensors in collaboration with the reputed Sheba Medical Centre's ARC Innovation Center in Israel. The technology is licensed to Hong Kong-based AI Innobio for the Asia-Pacific region. MediCircle Health has an exclusive tie-up with AIInnoBio to launch the test in India. Extensive studies performed in Israel have shown a concordance to RT-PCR of close to 95 per cent and a validation study in India showed concordance (sensitivity) of 93.5 per cent to PCR.

"A few months ago when we experienced a COVID-19 crisis at home, we understood the importance of a fast testing kit and how it can drastically uplift the current situation. With SpectraLIT, India will be able to test accurately and rapidly -- not within days, not within hours, not within minutes but within seconds," said Pranav Kohli, Partner, in a statement. Further, as the data set of spectral signatures increases, the AI algorithm will continuously improve to give even more accurate results. The ultimate goal of this revolutionary testing platform is to help India safely reopen and stay open.

Eventually, SpectraLIT will be able to test for diseases other than COVID-19. The platform will grow and innovations will allow it to detect other infectious diseases such as Influenza, Tuberculosis, Malaria, Dengue, and UTIs, as well as non-communicable diseases such as sickle cell disease, the company said. SpectraLIT can be mass deployed in major cities and in rural hotspots and help in detecting the spread of infection in real-time.

SpectraLIT has received the European Union CE-IVD mark of authorisation for use in the diagnosis of COVID-19, which is recognised and accepted in India by the ICMR. It has also been launched in seven countries and has been approved by ICTS -- the European airport security giant to offer a quick COVID-19 screening process at European airports. It has also been tested in 36 hospitals across North and Latin America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East. SpectraLIT is currently undergoing FDA approvals in the US.