A recent Psych News Daily article discussed a new face mask that tests the wearer for COVID-19. The mask was developed by engineers at MIT and Harvard University, and they say it’s “as sensitive as the gold standard, highly sensitive PCR tests, but it’s as fast as the antigen tests that are used for quick analysis of COVID-19.” The prototype is embedded with tiny, disposable sensors that can be fitted into other face mask designs, and even adapted to detect other viruses.
The sensors are derived from freeze-dried cellular machinery that the team has used previously in paper diagnostics for viruses like Ebola and Zika. In a new study, they incorporated them into face masks and other garments such as lab coats to see if the technology could be used to monitor healthcare worker’s exposure to a range of pathogens.
