Carnegie Mellon Student Develops Lollipop Pregnancy Test for Visually Impaired
Carnegie Mellon student Sneha Rao has developed TACT, an innovative lollipop-shaped pregnancy test designed to provide blind and visually impaired women with independent and private results.
A master's student at Carnegie Mellon University has developed TACT, an innovative pregnancy test designed specifically for blind and visually impaired women. Created by 27-year-old Sneha Rao, the device resembles a lollipop and allows users to check pregnancy status independently using taste and touch, eliminating the need for traditional visual strips or smartphone applications.
How the TACT Pregnancy Test Functions
The proposed mechanism relies on a flat, gelatin-based candy that interacts with saliva. According to the current design, the material is intended to react with the pregnancy hormone hCG, forming distinct bumps on the surface of the candy that the user can easily detect with their tongue.
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Positive result: Bumps appear on both sides of the candy.
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Negative result: Bumps appear on only one side.
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Invalid test: No textural changes occur on either side.
To develop the prototype, Rao experimented with various shapes and materials using 3D printing technology. A core priority of the project is privacy, allowing users to consume or dissolve the test discreetly without relying on third-party digital devices or external assistance.
Current Development Status and Next Steps
Despite the promising concept, TACT remains in the early conceptual and prototyping stages. While the physical form and texture have been tested, the biochemical mechanism capable of detecting the hCG hormone and altering the texture is still under development.
The dream is to buy any pregnancy test with the knowledge that it is accessible.
Future phases will require integrating specialized DNA components designed to bind with hCG, followed by comprehensive clinical trials and regulatory approvals. Experts, including representatives from American organizations for the blind, have praised the creative approach while noting that questions regarding accuracy and sensitivity still need to be addressed.
