How well does your face mask protect you and others in these trying times? Not really sure? You’re not the only one, which is why one of the winners of the Pandemic Response CoLab competition was the Social Mask, a smart face mask designed by Romanian Ciprian Burzo.
The Social Mask is a transparent nose and mouth cover with embedded sensors that give a status of the wearer’s health in real-time.
With an emphasis on a modern, lightweight look and feel, the face mask designed by Ciprian Burzo would be made of materials like polycarbonate or polypropylene to accommodate allergies while maintaining functionality.
The mask, still in the prototype stage, can be built via 3D printing with eco filament or more traditionally, by using a casting mold. On the front, the designer imagined an air vent, biosensor, and Bluetooth, while on the side there is another filter system, the temperature sensor, and its display.
The biosensor at the front can detect the viral particles and send the info to the wearer via Bluetooth on any paired mobile device paired so that even asymptomatic users are aware of the danger they’re in.
Like any smart device, the Social Mask has a companion app where the info can be accessed, as well as the body temperature detected in real-time.
Plus, in the event that more people use this mask, the device will be able to make a heat map of the wearers. In this way, the mask will be able to alert the uninfected user to distance themselves from the COVID-19 infected users.
MIT and MilliporeSigma’s competition invited both individuals and companies “to develop actionable solutions for challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic.” The most influential and innovative solutions selected by the judges panel had the opportunity to receive sponsor-donated incentives.
“Maintaining today’s mask and PPE functionalities while increasing their wearability and creative sourcing is the most scientifically sound method to prevent viral transmission and increase adoption,” believes MilliporeSigma judge Beattie. “We look forward to helping move the finalists’ ideas forward to potentially become the next pandemic response solutions.”
Stay tuned – we’ll keep you updated with the progress this project makes and when it will hit the market.
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