The InspectIR Breathalyzer can produce accurate results in less than three minutes.

Yesterday, the US Food and Drug Administration extended emergency authorization to the InspectIR Breathalyzer, the world’s first COVID-19 breath tester. The device, which is about the size of a small suitcase, analyzes a patient’s breath to search for chemical signatures indicative of the presence of coronavirus in their body. It can be easily deployed in both pharmacies and mobile testing sites, and can finish its analysis and deliver a result in three minutes or less.

Initial studies conducted with the InspectIR Breathalyzer found that it could correctly identify negative COVID results 100% of the time and positive COVID results 91% of the time. This study was conducted with the base strains of the disease, though a separate study focused on the Omicron variant gave similar results.

“Today’s authorization is yet another example of the rapid innovation occurring with diagnostic tests for COVID-19,” Dr. Jeff Shuren, director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health, said in a statement. “The FDA continues to support the development of novel COVID-19 tests with the goal of advancing technologies that can help address the current pandemic and better position the US for the next public health emergency.”