A Taiwan biotech company says it has developed a testing robot that can accurately process more than 2,000 coronavirus test results a day and is marketing the machine as a way for economies to get back up and running while still controlling the spread of the virus.
The Taipei-based TCI company says its QVS-96 robot is the first fully automated virus scanner. It uses three robotic arms to manipulate large amounts of test specimens usually handled by multiple laboratory technicians.
TCI chief supervisor Arvin Chen says the machine can process an initial round of 96 specimens in three-and-a-half hours, and, thereafter, can process 96 specimens every 60 to 70 minutes. The company says the QVS-96 achieves the same safety and quality standards as any laboratory.
Chen suggests the QVS-96 could be deployed in major metropolitan airports, in places such as New York City or Singapore. He says with 100 of the robotic testing machines operating, “These airports can fully resume their flights and let the passengers travel safely and bring back the country's economy.”
TCI says the QVS-96 has also been programmed to detect the flu and differentiate it from the coronavirus which could be crucial in northern hemisphere nations in the coming months.
The company recently announced a global distribution agreement to make the QVS-96 available worldwide. Earlier this year, the machine was officially registered with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
The company says QVS-96 is currently being used in a selection of government agencies, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control and three hospitals in northern and central Taiwan.