A Shoebox Sized Machine Might Be Key to Helping Athletes Stay Healthy

By: Chloe Sun

The Biofire machine can test for up to 45 infectious diseases, like Covid, the flu, gastritis and colds. The machines were used in the Tokyo Olympics 2022.

The Biofire machine returns results within 45 minutes, so the athlete exposed to the infection can be quarantined quickly before they spread the virus. At the Tokyo Olympics, the Biofire machine plus the mask wearing policy significantly reduced the chances of athletes getting Covid. However, these tests are not cheap. It costs about $200 per person and the machine itself is worth $35,000.