VIT-AP scientists develop low-cost breath screening technology

Amaravati: Scientists from CATS Global, Nashik, and VIT-AP University, Amaravati, have developed an innovative, low-cost optical sensing technology that could pave the way for non-invasive disease screening through breath analysis.

The research, led by Prof Dr Rao Tatavarti, Prof Dr Sridevi Nadimpalli and VIT-AP Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr P Arulmozhivarman Pachiyappan, was published in the international journal Scientific Reports on November 6, 2026.

The technology uses a low-power laser and an optical detector to identify distinctive light patterns associated with chemical compounds in breath. Researchers tested the system using synthetic gas mixtures representing five conditions-chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, cystic fibrosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The system achieved an overall classification accuracy of 78.9 per cent across seven gas categories, including healthy and ambient air samples. Unlike conventional breath-analysis equipment, the new approach does not require expensive spectroscopic instruments, offering potential for affordable and portable screening devices.

However, the experiments were conducted using synthetic gas mixtures rather than actual human breath. Clinical trials and further validation are required before the technology can be used for medical diagnosis.

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The Hans India