Researchers have found that retro reflector technology could be used in detecting bioterrorism threats and diagnosing everyday infectious diseases. Scientists from the University of Texas and Sandia National Laboratories are developing an ultrasensitive, all-in-one device that utilizes retroreflectors to rapidly tell first-responders exactly which disease-causing microbe has been deployed in a bioterrorism attack.
These microfabricated retroreflectors were given a biochemical surface capable of detecting pathogens, effectively making them a lab-on-a-chip. These feature minute channels that can process small amounts of blood or other fluids, whereby a sample fluid containing bacteria could cause parts of the reflectors to go dark, thus signaling a positive test, whereas if the fluid sample was free of the bacteria or disease-causing virus, the reflectors would shine brightly.
This gives us something to reflect on.