June 6, 2026
By Sola Ogundipe
Scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have developed a smartphone-based technology capable of detecting bacterial contamination on surfaces within minutes.
It is a breakthrough researchers say could strengthen hygiene monitoring in hospitals, food factories, gyms and other public spaces.
The technology, known as ‘BactiSee’, combines a chemically coated testing chip with smartphone imaging technology to quickly determine how clean a surface is and whether harmful bacteria may be present.
