Experts from India and Israel have collaborated to develop rapid testing for COVID-19 in under 30 seconds by merging the technological expertise of Israel with Indian development and production capabilities. They have started to conduct trials at a special testing site at Dr Ram Manohar Lohiya (RML) Hospital on a large sample of patients for 4 different kinds of technologies namely, Voice test, Breath analyser test, Isothermal testing and Polyamino acid testing.
- The rapid testing has been developed jointly in cooperation with the Directorate of Defence Research and Development (DDR&D) of the Israeli Ministry of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Principal Scientific Advisor(PSA), India and coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Israel and India.
Gist about the trial
Four different kinds of simple, non-invasive technologies have been used in the trials namely:
Voice test– It uses artificial intelligence to identify changes in the patient’s voice.
Breath analyser test– It requires the patient to blow into a tube and detects a virus using terra-hertz waves.
Isothermal testing– It enables identification of the virus in a saliva sample.
Polyamino acid testing– It seeks to isolate proteins related to COVID-19.
Results
- The results of the trials are expected to be available within two weeks.
- If the results are successful, they will be mass manufactured in India and marketed to the world by Israel and India jointly.
Key Info
i.These trials are part of a multi-pronged mission visiting from Israel to India to collaborate on COVID-19 research and development, which further strengthens the strategic relationship between the two countries.
ii.Israeli Ambassador to India Ron Malka and Professor K Vijay Raghavan, who is the principal scientific advisor to the prime minister of India visited the site.
MoU signed b/w India and Israel to expand cooperation in cyber security
On July 2020, The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), a unit of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, and Israel’s National Cyber Directorate (INCD) has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to expand cooperation in cyber security
Recent Related News:
i.1st time Blue chip VC firms & startup CEOs to set up ‘Action Covid-19 Team’ Grants.
ii.Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) ties-up with India Post for lab delivery of Covid-19 testing kits
About Israel:
Capital– Jerusalem
Currency– Israeli Shekel
President– Reuven Rivlin
