A face mask with an integrated virus sensor could detect tiny amounts of the coronavirus after a 10-minute conversation with someone who is infected.
If the aptamers bind to their target proteins, their electrical charge changes and an integrated chip in the mask sends a signal to a designated smartphone.
The team tested the mask by putting it in a closed chamber and spraying it with tiny drops of liquid – similar to those produced when an– containing the coronavirus spike protein or surface proteins from the two flu viruses. After 10 minutes, the system could detect as little as 0.1 femtograms of protein per millilitre of fluid.
The mask could be useful for people who need to be in indoor spaces with poor ventilation, says Fang. “It’s a new technique we can use to protect people.” The system could also be updated with aptamers that recognise different pathogens, he says. The team hasn’t yet tested how often the mask wrongly gives an alert signal when it encounters surface proteins from other viruses.at the University of Reading, UK, says the idea has potential, but needs further testing. “It’s really hard to make things work in the real world,” he says.
The principle of using highly sensitive aptamer-based tests could also be exploited in other settings, such as placing the sensors within ventilation units or in hospital wards, he says.
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