Researchers at MIT, Harvard develop new face mask to detect COVID-19

Researchers from Harvard University and MIT have developed a new face mask that can detect whether the wearer has had a COVID-19 infection within about 90 minutes.

This face mask has been designed by engineers from the Weiss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

These engineers have designed a face mask that can diagnose Covid-19 infection in the wearer of the mask within about 90 minutes. These masks are embedded with small, disposable sensors that can also be incorporated into clothing or adapted to detect other viruses.

A wide range of synthetic biology sensors have been freeze-dried and embedded in paper masks to detect toxic chemicals, including nerve toxins, bacterial or viral nucleic acids. In freeze-dried sensors, these components are surrounded by a silicon elastomer.

This mask also comes with a small reservoir that the person wearing the mask presses a button on when it is ready to start their test.

Now, water activates the freeze-dried components of the sensor, which measure the respiratory droplets inside the mask and the mask wearer can see the results within 90 minutes. These results are displayed individually inside this mask.

These sensors can be fitted to any other face mask or clothing such as lab coats which can help in monitoring the exposure of health care workers to viruses and pathogens.