[jffry]

For reference, this is one specific type of test available in the US, there are other more common tests which are electronics-free.

There are some valid reasons for tests like this to exist. To quote later on in the linked Tweet thread [1]:

  BTW it's easy to say this is wasteful, and it probably is, but just like with the pregnancy test, you should consider that there's three main problems that can affect the accuracy of lateral flow tests like this:
  1. inconsistent lighting
  2. incorrect timing
  3. human error
  
  having a 2$ computer chip and 50 cents worth of plastic  & lenses removes all those sources of error. 
  And making it bluetooth removes a source of e-waste! it means it doesn't need to have a screen, it can just talk to your phone.
  
  for example, consider that a bit more than 1 in 12 people have some kind of colorblindness.
  Having a computer say "POSITIVE" or "NEGATIVE" is going to be easier to see then the uncertainty of "is that stripe red? can I just not see it?"

[1] https://twitter.com/Foone/status/1475254812816019456

[Fnoord]

Except the first 2 are examples of human error. You are supposed to follow the instructions, and the instructions tell you to carefully read the instructions which I have done with multiple 'manual' antigen tests. They're crystal clear. With regards to these 2 examples you can ensure decent lighting with a smartphone (torch) these days. Incorrect timing, can also be solved with a smartphone by setting an alarm (or just focusing on say letting 15 minutes pass as a matter of respect to the outcome and those possibly affected by it). We already got a swiss army knife in the form of a smartphone, we don't need another disposable technology (nevermind insecure technology).

[scotty79]

While I was doing my test I read instructions carefully but then after few minutes of gathering courage to stab myself (surprisingly hard to do) in the finger I managed to mess the rest of the procedure up by putting buffer fluid, or blood, I don't remember, in the wrong hole.

[daneel_w]

There's no path for reusing the electronics, is the big issue here.

[sureklix]

> And making it bluetooth removes a source of e-waste!

wait, so bluetooth is cheaper than paper?

[SV_BubbleTime]

Cheaper than paper? IDK.

But I have A product that I just did the math on. I was making a “dumb version“ that removed BLE and added two buttons. The BLE version would end up being cheaper. Of course this assumes that the Bluetooth software firmware is already completed, which for me it is.

[tragictrash]

Think how small they can produce chips now.