Innovative Biosensors Inc., a Washington area company, has set out to create a device that manipulates biosensors from the human immune system to detect certain types of bacteria, viruses and proteins, according to a Washington Post article today. Depending on the reagent inserted, it will be able to find traces of pathogens such as anthrax or E. coli and will be especially useful in spotting respiratory viruses and contagious bacteria in the operating room.

Given the tough job of keeping patients from catching new stuff in the hospital, this is an exciting idea.

I can just envision a day when members of the public will be walking around with these things. At a gathering the other evening a bunch of us were enjoying the music and when I looked down the table, I noticed all the technology laid out–cell phones, beepers, digital records, digital cameras, etc. Looked like our modern equivalent of the old westerns where the card player hauls out his six shooter and lays it on the table to let the other guy know he’s serious.

“My tech is bigger’n yourn”–so watch for an addition to the lineup soon: the personal bacteria-spotter device.