A new, less invasive, technique to detecting diseases quickly and more efficiently. The new technology involves a laser and a tube for you to breathe in. That’s right, you breathe into a tube and the laser detects your ailments.

To use the device, a person breathes into a tube into which a laser is shining. Mirrors positioned around the tube reflect the laser signal to enhance detection of compounds. The laser signal bounces off the different chemicals in the breath sample, and the device is able to detect the unique light signals of specific compounds.

But the new laser technique provides a way to assess the levels of many different compounds in the breath at once, offering a more accurate picture of whether a person has a particular disease.

The advantages of the laser technique — known as optical frequency comb spectroscopy — is that it would provide a painless and non-invasive way of detecting certain diseases. In addition, it could enable physicians to detect some conditions earlier when they may be more easily treated, Ye said.

Totally awesome, it is said that they hope to do this with routine check ups as well. Basically the laser allows you to find out what is wrong with you faster, without the need of waiting for those pesky, and often hard to determine if they are doctor worthy, symptoms. No one likes a hypochondriac.

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