MIT Technology Review reports:
Context: DNA chips for detecting genetic variations abound. Typically, a processed biological sample is placed on a chip, which then must be loaded into a separate, expensive device for reading. Now, Yoshiaki Yazawa and colleagues at Hitachi have designed a tiny chip that not only detects DNA variation but can report it wirelessly from the inside of a sealed sample container. These chips could be dropped directly into a solution containing copies of patient DNA and should be cheap enough to be disposable.
Methods and Results: The chip packs a biosensor, radio transceiver, and antenna coil onto 2.5 by 2.5 millimeters of silicon. An off-the-shelf external unit powers the chip with radio waves and reads its transmissions. To detect a particular DNA