Doing More With Less: Hand-Powered Ultralow-Cost Paper Centrifuge

A centrifuge made of paper and string and powered by hand can separate plasma from whole blood in 90 seconds and permit the diagnosis of malaria in 15 minuntes at the point of care. The centrifuge generates speeds of 125,000 rpm, with a theoretical maximum of 1,000,000 rpm. Such devices may become the centerpiece of diagnostic assays in the developing world in the future.