Industrial - Bachelors

Delta Sens

Delta Sens is an electrochemical saliva tester that allows medicinal cannabis patients to measure the concentration of THC in their saliva. Delta Sens empowers patients by providing a cheap and accurate way to assess their eligibility to drive and make an educated decision on getting behind the wheel.

Liam Luski

Background

Australia launched its medicinal cannabis program in 2016 and, since then, it has seen an explosion in participation with over 248,000 prescriptions approved for over 140 medical conditions to date. Today, it is a rapidly growing industry with $432 million in sales forecasted for 2022 and approximately 15,000 new script approvals per month. Despite the success of the program, patients are dealing with numerous significant barriers to their treatment. Right at the top of that list is the issue of driving.

Imagine telling any other medical patient that they have to decide between life-changing medication and driving

Medicinal Cannabis Patient and survey respondent

The problem

In Australia, it’s currently illegal to drive with any amount of THC (Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol), the psychoactive component of cannabis, in your system. There is no exception for medicinal cannabis patients. If they test positive, patients can lose their licence, face criminal charges and even jail time; the same as if the driver has bought and used illicit cannabis from the black market.

Patients may test positive for THC even if they do not feel impaired or believe they are feeling the effects of THC at all. THC is usually able to be detected in saliva for up to 12 hours after use however, in regular users like many medical cannabis patients, THC may be detectable in saliva for up to 3 days of abstinence.

Despite significant concerns about being tested for THC while driving, it was found that the majority of the 140+ surveyed and interviewed patients are driving the same day as using their medication and that most patients aren’t changing their driving behaviour enough to avoid a positive result on a road-side drug test. When this was investigated, it was found that patients drove as they didn’t feel impaired or felt they had an alternative but, in particular, because they did not have any way to gauge whether they would produce a positive result.

Patients can’t tell if they have THC in their Saliva and thus, can’t tell if they’re eligible to drive

I think fear of driving laws stops a lot of patients from taking products that contain THC because they’re worried, quite rightly, that they might be pulled up and it might be identified in a drug test

Helen Kapalos, Director of Communications & Community, ANTG
An existing swab-style saliva testing kit which tests for the presence of THC

Existing Products

Existing saliva testing products are prohibitively expensive, single-use and inaccurate disposable tests which only indicate if THC is present in a saliva sample. Patients who, on average, pay $278 per month on their medication, simply can’t afford to regularly assess themselves with existing products which cost $20-45 per test.

DELTA SENS

Delta Sens is the first multi-use electrochemical THC saliva testing device on the market. It’s designed to allow patients to accurately and cheaply measure the concentration of THC in their saliva; empowering patients and allowing them to make an educated decision on driving. Delta Sens does away with single-use; whole-system tests like the lateral flow tests that exist today. Instead, it incorporates a reusable device with single-use testing strips (screen-printed electrodes), to capture and analyse a saliva sample, at a fraction of the cost, and with greater accuracy and functionality.

HOW TO USE DELTA SENS

A Delta Sens user holding a test strip (screen printed electrode) while sitting in the car

The Science

Delta Sens uses voltammetry, an electroanalytical method where information about a sample is obtained by measuring the electric current as the electrical potential is varied. As THC antibodies, present on the testing strips (screen-printed electrodes) come in to contact with THC molecules, they bind to them and as they bind, they change the potential and current. By measuring that current, the concentration of THC in the saliva sample is able to be measured.
Exploded view showing all the internal components of the Delta Sens device

A SIMPLE DESIGN

Delta Sens has no battery, Bluetooth, or onboard interface. It takes advantage of an already powerful piece of technology found in every individuals pocket. By connecting directly through the users phone for power, data transfer and to interface through the Delta Sens app, Delta Sens is able to maintain a compact, portable design.
Delta Sens, attached to a set of car keys, sitting on a table

Ultra portable

Interviewed and surveyed patients all stated a need for device portability with a recurring request for the design to be able to be attached the users car keys. This was a key influence in the design process which motivated the removal of the battery and Bluetooth connectivity. Throughout the process, the question was asked again and again; ‘How can the design best serve the user while maintaining portability?’
A man holding Delta Sens, taking a test strip for the sensor strip storage compartment, while sitting in the drivers seat of a car

Ready. Wherever, whenever

Delta Sens stores up to 5 sensor strips so the user has access to multiple tests on the go. When the last test strip is spent, a 5-pack of strips is loaded into device, ready for next time.
Renders of the Delta Sens app, showing some of the functionality of the app

Data make Delta Sens powerful

Delta Sens gives users accurate readings for real-time THC salivary concentration. With enough results, Delta Sens can accurately map the users individual metabolism of THC and can predict the time to total THC elimination from saliva. With predictive elimination time, Delta Sens can suggest and schedule a re-test in the event of a positive result. Data is what makes Delta Sens powerful. With metabolism mapping and access to historical data, patients can plan their dosing schedule so they can be they’re okay to drive when they need to.

Liam Luski

Liam is an evidence-focused designer and an entrepreneur at his core. He leverages his science background and innate curiosity to ask big questions, identify opportunities, and deliver data-driven solutions for both design and business.