Smart mask could be an early warning system to prevent outbreaks of respiratory diseases
- Chinese team develops wearable bioelectric mask that can sniff out diseases such as Covid-19 and influenza
- Experts say device could be modified to detect new pathogens in future outbreaks
Once connected to a wireless network, the mask can transmit real-time data to a user’s mobile device, including detection alerts, according to a study published in the peer-reviewed journal Matter on Monday.
These diseases are spread through the air by droplets or aerosols. But direct detection of viruses in the air can be difficult as the concentrations can be extremely low.
Beijing backs Hong Kong leader’s changes to Covid-19 travel rules
The data showed that the device could detect viral proteins in amounts as small as 0.3 microliters – up to 560 times less than the volume of liquid produced in one sneeze.
The researchers then connected the mask to a wireless network so that real-time results could be viewed on mobile devices like smartphones by using an app.
Fang Yin, the study’s corresponding author and a materials scientist at Tongji University, said in a statement that the mask worked well in spaces with poor ventilation where the risk of infection was high.
“Previous research has shown face mask wearing can reduce the risk of spreading and contracting the disease. So, we wanted to create a mask that can detect the presence of a virus in the air and alert the wearer,” Fang said.
China’s Xi Jinping skips mask-free SCO dinner amid packed talks schedule
If a new respiratory virus emerges in the future, the device could be updated to detect the new pathogens, he added.
In the future, the team hopes to reduce the detection time and increase the sensitivity of the device.
Previously, researchers from Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology developed a wearable biosensor that could be fitted on a mask to detect the presence of nucleic acids associated with coronavirus in a user’s breath.
The biosensor can provide results within 90 minutes, according to a study published in Nature Biotechnology in June, 2021.