Sedgefield company creates revolutionary COVID detection machine

A company in Sedgefield has created a machine that can detect Covid-19 in the air. It is a world-first and is currently being trialled and tested across the North East of England.

Kromek was working on bio terrorism detection when the pandemic began and changed its agenda to help with the fight against it.

The new Kromek technology works by taking in masses of air and turning it into a droplet. The liquid is then tested to see if it contains Covid-19. It has the same accuracy level as a PCR test and could greatly reduce the need for expensive lab testing.

It's designed to be used in high density areas where it would be impractical or indeed impossible to test everyone.

This machine only costs £20,000 per unit, which is incredible when you think of its capabilities. It was part-funded by a government department called Innovate UK.

It is being tested at Durham School and has also been trialled at Teesside International Airport.

If this machine isn’t impressive enough, Kromek is working on a second machine that could end up helping prevent another pandemic. This second machine is similar to the Covid detector in that it analyses air turned to water BUT this machine can detect ANY known or unknown viruses or bacteria. This means it would have picked up on coronavirus and allowed us to start the fight against it earlier.

Kromek works on other advanced detection technology too. The team makes radiation detectors for security services to protect key sites like parliament. In addition to this, it also makes technology to detect breast cancer.

Their technology has been used in Fukushima, Chernobyl and most recently as President Biden’s visit to Brussels.

The company started out in one room in Sedgefield. Now, it has a complex with a team changing our future for the better.