To boost efforts across the nation to contain the spread of COVID-19, New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) is granting public access during the pandemic to its novel test swab technology, free of licensing fees, by committing to the Open COVID Pledge. Broad testing is an essential tool in this public health campaign, while basic medical supplies, including swabs, remain in short supply.
The design has novel features that simplify fabrication and storage and reduce contamination risk. The typical swab is a stick with synthetic material attached to the swabbing end. After the sample is taken, the swab is cut off, preserved in solution and then tested with a chemical that recovers RNA from the virus. NJIT’s swab, by contrast, consists of two interlocking arms that work together, like forceps, to grip the swabbing material. By sliding the two arms against each other, the device can deposit the sample into a vial with no need for handling.
The developers, from NJIT’s Additive Manufacturing Lab (AddLab), are posting the design on the National Institute of Health’s 3D Print Exchange website, which provides technology related to biomedical science that is readily compatible with 3D printers. By making the pledge, NJIT invites manufacturers, large and small, to make use of our technology to address the public health crisis. To learn more about the swab test, click here.
