Japanese scientists are developing a face mask that can detect COVID-19 Image via Adobe Stock
Japanese scientists developing face masks that detect COVID-19
The new year could herald the rollout of a new face mask that glows when traces of the coronavirus are detected.
Japanese scientists are developing a face mask that can detect COVID-19 Image via Adobe Stock
A team of Japanese scientists at Kyoto Prefectural University, headed up by its president Yasuhiro Tsukamoto, has developed a face mask that glows when exposed to traces of the coronavirus.
This will help to alleviate the need for costly Covid-19 testing, as well as to alert asymptomatic individuals to the fact that they are infected with the virus.
MASK GLOWS WITH TRACES OF COVID-19
The mask glows when exposed to ultraviolet light, if it contains traces of the coronavirus. The ability to do this is achieved through the use of ostrich eggs. The glow results from antibodies extracted from ostrich eggs, fluorescent dye, and the face shield’s innovative detection system.
“We can mass-produce antibodies from ostriches at a low cost. In the future, I want to make this into an easy testing kit that anyone can use,” Tsukamoto told Kyodo News.
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RELIABILITY OF GLOW MASK
The new glow mask is still undergoing testing, with the team expanding the experiment sample size to 150 participants. The team aims to obtain government approval for the mask in 2022, so these masks may be in use from next year.
Tsukamoto himself can vouch for the credibility of the new mask since he discovered that he was COVID-19 positive by wearing one of the experimental masks and finding that it glowed. He then confirmed his status with a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test.
SOLUTION FOR COVID-19 TESTING
The fear of contracting the coronavirus and the need for expensive Covid-19 tests has persisted for much of the last two years. With this in mind, the Japanese glow mask provides an effective solution since it alerts the mask wearer to the fact that they are infected if traces of the virus are detected.
The mask therefore does away with the need for individuals to undergo tests since the mask itself is a cost-effective way to test for COVID-19.
