While half of the world’s population does not wear masks, and half of the world’s population does, much of it is under the nose, there are scientists who are studying how to identify whether they are as effective as we think.
Not all masks are effective, many of them are normal tissue that does not prevent the emission of particles, others do not fit well and others have been used so many times without disinfecting that they are a risk to the wearer and others.
Now researchers at the University of Cambridge are using 3D printing to produce electronic fibers that could be used as sensors invisible to the naked eye to monitor health. This 3D printing technique uses silver and semiconductor polymers to produce a conductive fiber core, wrapped in a thin polymer sheath, all in a fiber 100 times thinner than a human hair.
This fiber sensor has been transformed into a system that monitors a person’s breathing with a mask, not only to successfully detect signs of rapid breathing, shortness of breath, and simulated coughing, but also to track where the subject’s mask was leaked.
They applied it on cloth and surgical masks to detect that the leaks come mainly from the front, especially during coughing. When it comes to N95 masks, researchers found that most of the leaks came from the sides.
They commented that the sensors are made of small conductive fibers especially useful for volumetric detection of fluids and gases in 3D, and is ready to incorporate them into devices and manufacture them to scale.
In addition to monitoring the integrity of the masks, these fibers could be connected to smartphones to detect sound through acoustically driven elements.
Lightweight, cheap, small and easy to use, everything we wanted to hear.
You can read the full article in cam.ac.uk.
