Virus Detection in Multiplexed Nanowire Arrays using Hidden Semi-Markov models

Real-time detection of viruses in the field of healthcare and biodefense has become a very important problem in recent times. In this work, we follow the methodology of realtime electrical detection of viruses with nanowire field-effect transistors described in Patolsky et al. [1]. In this method, nanowires are coated with antibodies of a particular kind of virus. The main idea is as follows: if that type of virus is present in the environment, then the virus molecules would dock with the antibody molecules on the nanowire and change the conductance of the nanowire. Signals of the nanowire conductance as a function of time are typically analyzed to figure out whether the virus has docked to the nanowire, thereby detecting the presence of the virus.