COVID-19 has left us with many questions that need to be answered in case of another such pandemic strikes again. Even though the vaccine for the yearlong disease that’s jolted the world brings a refreshing change in how we perceive the current future, the threat is still not all gone. There are hotspots around the world that need to be scanned for the virus, and a handy antibody test kit is more than the need of the hour. Yue Zhao, a medical design student at Muthesius Kunsthochschule University, has come up with the Testen?Testen! (name so nice, you gotta say it twice. But this is the name bestowed by the designer) home antibody testing kit that simplifies the process of mass screening in any community.

Compared to the currently available test kits, this design is painless, uses a lot less blood, and safer to use as the blood goes directly inside the tester. According to Yue, she has created the band-aid-like test kit in such a way that it brings a safe and hassle-free means of testing at home for antibody development. According to her, finger prick testing can be painful and difficult for some individuals when performed at home. That’s why this test sticks to the forearm and using high-velocity microneedles and vacuum pressure, only the required amount of blood drop is collected. This ease of makes it possible for one-handed use of the test kit, even for alone individuals.

The operation is simple, just stick it to your forearm, wait for one minute until the blood cells turn red, and then press the sample diluent button. This will trigger the blood and diluent to mix and flow to the absorbent pad. The resulting area will then show the result of the test. Yue’s design is promising, to say the least, as more and more people are venturing out of their homes – to make sure they are not infected and have a good immune response, this test kit is the viable solution.

Designer: Yue Zhao