"COVID-19 Diagnosis in 10 Minutes"... A Preview of the Future of K-Quarantine

Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology Launches Numerous New Products at International Medical Devices and Hospital Equipment Exhibition (KIMES 2021)

Smart protective clothing. Photo by Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) showcased a large number of products that can upgrade ‘K-Quarantine’ to the next level, including a mobile negative pressure ward and a diagnostic system that can provide COVID-19 virus infection test results in just 10 minutes.

KAIST announced on the 17th that it will participate in the International Medical Devices and Hospital Equipment Exhibition (KIMES 2021), held for four days from the 18th to the 22nd at COEX in Samseong-dong, Seoul. KIMES 2021 is an exhibition where creative medical technologies from leading global companies gather and are introduced. This year, more than 1,200 domestic and international companies are participating, showcasing over 30,000 types of advanced medical devices, hospital equipment, medical information systems, healthcare products, and related medical supplies.

Real-time thermal PCR system. Photo by Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)

KAIST will present 10 types of Korean-style quarantine package technologies being researched by the ‘COVID-19 Response Science and Technology New Deal Project Group’ in 10 independent exhibition rooms and a separately prepared K-Quarantine Special Pavilion.

Mobile Clinic Module. Photo by Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)

At the K-Quarantine Special Pavilion, a module of the ‘Mobile Negative Pressure Ward’ jointly developed by Professor Nam Taek-jin’s research team (Department of Industrial Design) and Shinseong ENG will be exhibited. During the exhibition, visitors will be able to directly experience the ‘Mobile Negative Pressure Ward’ as the ward’s negative pressure function will be actually operated.

The KAIST COVID-19 Response Science and Technology New Deal Project Group will mainly reveal technologies that alleviate the difficulties faced by medical personnel deployed in infectious disease treatment sites and minimize the diagnostic process at this exhibition.

First, Professor Park Hyung-soon’s research team (Department of Mechanical Engineering) will exhibit the ‘Smart Protective Suit Cooling and Ventilation System,’ which significantly improves the drawbacks of the ‘steaming protective suit.’ Compared to existing products, it greatly reduces weight while adding a cooling function. The cooler circulates and cools the air inside the protective suit, and the respiratory protector operates by introducing filtered external air, ensuring both comfort and safety against infection.

Cyclone Personal Protective Negative Pressure Device. Photo by Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)

An ultra-fast molecular diagnostic system using nanomicrotechnology will also be exhibited. Professor Jung Ki-hoon’s research team (Department of Bio and Brain Engineering) will showcase the ‘Real-time Photothermal PCR System,’ which enables PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) testing within 10 minutes from sample extraction to results. This technology overcomes the limitations of existing technologies that are complex, bulky, and time-consuming, and is expected to be useful for on-site diagnosis.

Electric stretcher and air beam structure of the negative pressure chamber. Photo by Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)

Another diagnostic technology demonstrated will be an artificial intelligence software developed by Professor Ye Jeong-cheol’s research team (Department of Bio and Brain Engineering) that can rapidly diagnose infectious diseases based on chest X-ray images. This AI software analyzes patients’ chest X-ray data to distinguish changes in pneumonia severity. It can diagnose within one minute which category the patient falls into?COVID-19, viral pneumonia, bacterial pneumonia, tuberculosis, other diseases, or normal?using only chest X-ray results and provides visual information.

Artificial Intelligence Chest X-ray Rapid Diagnosis. Photo by Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)

Additionally, a ‘Plasma Sterilizer’ and a ‘Mobile Clinic Module’ including sterilizers that can sterilize various medical instruments frequently used in medical settings within 5 minutes will be exhibited. This is a ‘Medical Low-temperature Plasma Sterilizer’ jointly researched and developed by Professor Choi Won-ho (Department of Nuclear and Quantum Engineering) and the startup company Plasmap. Plasma is known as the fourth state of matter beyond solid, liquid, and gas, exhibiting excellent sterilization capabilities. Professor Choi’s sterilizer and the mobile clinic module innovatively complement the drawbacks of existing technologies that used expensive large equipment and required long sterilization times.

In addition, Professor Kim Sung-soo’s and Professor Park Hae-won’s teams from the Department of Mechanical Engineering will exhibit manual stretcher and negative pressure ambulance technologies, and electric stretcher and negative pressure chamber technologies, respectively.

Negative pressure ambulance for anti-infection. Photo by Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)

Professor Bae Sang-min’s research team (Department of Industrial Design) will introduce a ‘Self-quarantine Kit’ that creates a designated self-quarantine space within a home shared by family members. It is a protective product that attaches a partition at the entrance of a room with a bathroom to physically separate the living space from family members outside the door. A negative pressure device is connected to the window inside the partitioned space to maintain a negative pressure environment during the self-quarantine period, minimizing the possibility of virus leakage and preventing secondary infection through respiratory pathways.

Professor Kim Hyung-soo’s research team (Department of Mechanical Engineering) will unveil the ‘Mobile Cyclone Negative Pressure Pump’ technology, which effectively captures and purifies contaminants such as viruses. Negative pressure spaces, where air pressure is lower than the surrounding environment, prevent air from flowing out and thus block the movement of pathogens and viruses. Professor Kim’s negative pressure technology is designed to create directional airflow within enclosed spaces. By using this, contaminants can be intensively suctioned and purified, and the negative pressure environment of a specific space can be maintained, preventing the spread of respiratory disease viruses.

Mobile Negative Pressure Ward. Photo by Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)

Especially, Professor Kim Il-du’s research team (Department of Materials Science and Engineering), which attracted much attention when revealed last year, will exhibit their achievements in developing translucent, biodegradable, antiviral filters and manufacturing equipment for submicron fibers (0.15?0.5 μm diameter). The reusable droplet-blocking filter developed by Professor Kim’s team has passed the KC mask certification performance test. They have applied for health mask approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) and are currently undergoing supplementary testing. They are preparing to launch it as a fashion mask as early as April this year.

Self-quarantine kit. Photo by Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)

KAIST’s ‘COVID-19 Response Science and Technology New Deal Project Group’ was launched in July last year with support from the Ministry of Science and ICT. It was created to overcome infectious disease crises through science and technology and contribute to economic development by creating antiviral new industries. As of March, the project group includes 464 internal members such as KAIST professors, researchers, and students, and 503 participants from companies, hospitals, and research institutes.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.