This cross-section of the smart mask shows the different layers that make it work, including a hydrogel for cooling the breath into a liquid, microchannels or capillaries for transporting the liquid, and a sensing reservoir where the samples are analyzed. (Image: Caltech/Wei Gao and Wenzheng Heng)

WHO

Caltech engineers have developed a prototype for a high-tech paper mask that can be used to assess metabolic and respiratory conditions.

WHAT

Developed by Caltech's Wei Gao, Professor of Medical Engineering, and his colleagues, the smart mask can be used to monitor a range of medical conditions, including respiratory ailments, such as asthma, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), and post-COVID-19 infections. In contrast to other smart masks being developed that monitor physical changes like the temperature, humidity, or rate of breathing, this one, called EBCare, can analyze the chemicals in one's breath in real time. For example, the mask could monitor asthma patients for levels of nitrite, a chemical that indicates airway inflammation. To selectively analyze the chemicals or molecules in someone's breath, the researchers need to first cool the breath vapor into a liquid. In clinical settings, this cooling step is done separately from the analysis. The smart mask, in contrast, is self-cooling. The breath is cooled by a passive cooling system that integrates hydrogel evaporative cooling with radiative cooling to effectively chill the breath on face masks. Once the breath has been converted into a liquid, a series of capillaries, belonging to a class of devices referred to as bioinspired microfluidics, immediately transports the liquid to sensors for analysis. The results of the analysis are then transmitted wirelessly to a personal phone, tablet, or computer.

The EBCare mask can analyze the chemicals in one’s breath in real time. (Image: Caltech/Wei Gao and Wenzheng Heng)

WHERE

California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA

WHY

The smart mask has the potential to monitor lung health in real time and help patients better manage their health from their own homes. It can also be prepared at a relatively low cost.

WHEN

The team has conducted first studies as a proof of concept. “We want to expand this technology to incorporate different markers related to various health conditions. This is a foundation for creating a mask that functions as a versatile general health-monitoring platform,” said Gao.

For more information, contact Whitney Clavin at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ; 626-395‑1944.

Topics:
Medical Sensors Wearables

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    This article first appeared in the November, 2024 issue of Tech Briefs Magazine (Vol. 48 No. 11).

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