Covid-sniffing robots offer a testing alternative, startup bets

Koniku’s device, the Konicore, is slightly smaller than a frisbee and resembles a flying saucer. When the proteins in its chip bind to a scent it has been programmed to detect, cells amplify and process those signals with help from machine learning, and the device lights up. — Koniku

A biotechnology startup called Koniku is trying to develop robots that could sniff out Covid-19 infections faster than conventional testing.

The technology fuses neurons with a silicon chip to create a “smell cyborg” capable of detecting scents ranging from explosives to pathogens.