Biosensor-Using Facemask That Can Detect COVID-19 Within 90 Minutes

Engineers in MIT and Harvard University have created a face mask that will enable the wearer to know if he or she has the COVID-19 virus and this can be done within 90 minutes. The new wearable sensors and diagnostic face mask is embedded with tiny, disposable sensors which can be fitted into another face mask. There is another advantage: it can lead to the detection of other viruses.

The freeze-dried cellular machinery in which the sensors were based on has previously been developed by the same research team in the past for diagnosing other deadly viruses such as Ebola and Zika.

In another new study, the researchers  showed that the sensors could also be embedded into not only face masks but also in lab coats and other piece of clothing, thereby  paving way for a new method, whereby health care workers’ exposure to different kinds of pathogens and other threats can be monitored.

Well, do we hear and read from the horse’s mouth?

Let’s do!

James Collins, Professor of Medical Engineering and Science in MIT’s Institute for Medical Engineering and Science (IMES) and Department of Biological Engineering and the Senior Author of the study opined;

“We’ve demonstrated that we can freeze-dry a broad range of synthetic biology sensors to detect viral or bacterial nucleic acids, as well as toxic chemicals, including nerve toxins. We envision that this platform could enable next-generation wearable biosensors for first responders, health care personnel, and military personnel,” “The face mask sensors are designed so that they can be activated by the wearer when they’re ready to perform the test, and the results are only displayed on the inside of the mask, for user privacy”.

Peter Nguyen, Research Scientist, Harvard University’s Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering talked about the PCR tests when he declared:

“This test is 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.”

In his own addition, Luis Soenksen, a Venture Builder at MIT’s Abdul Latif Jameel Clinic for Machine Learning in Health said that “the demonstrations have essentially shrunk down the functionality of state-of-the-art molecular testing facilities into a format compatible with wearable scenarios across a variety of applications.”

Features of the facemask includes a small reservoir of water which is  released at the push of a button when the wearer is ready to perform the test in return, then hydrates the freeze-dried components of the SARS-CoV-2 sensor. It thereafter, analyzes breath droplets found in inside of the facemask and within the 90 minutes time range, the result is displayed.

The project which was funded by: The Defense Threat Reduction Agency , The Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group the Wyss Institute, Johnson and Johnson Innovation JLABS, MIT , Harvard, Patrick J. McGovern Foundation will hopefully pave way for a new improved method of the Coronavirus detection.