Scientists at the California Institute of Technology have created a "smart" mask that can analyze breathing and detect signs of illness. The device can upload its data to an app via Bluetooth.
They hope this will be an affordable and convenient way to instantly detect and analyze biomarkers related to breathing and metabolic processes. They say it has the potential to improve efforts to diagnose lung diseases early, monitor them, and help with personalized treatments.
"Our technology can serve as a general respiratory analysis platform. We can select different sensors for a specific disease or several sensors for a variety of diseases," said one of the study's lead authors, Wei Gao.
The device works by condensing respiratory vapors. The material can easily lose heat, but it also contains a hydrogel that cools through natural water evaporation.
The condensed breath then goes to a sensor on the device that detects the presence and levels of various elements such as alcohol, pH, ammonium, and nitrite. From there, it goes to the hydrogel, providing a constant source of water for the evaporation process.
Experiments were conducted on healthy volunteers as well as those with respiratory problems, including asthmatics. The mask can detect changes in alcohol concentration and monitor changes in ammonium levels associated with protein consumption.
The latter is also an alternative to blood tests for kidney disease and personalized monitoring of protein metabolism. Nitrite concentrations were higher in the group of people with inflamed airways, as well as in asthmatics.
The mask can be worn during daily activities, as well as at night. This allows patients to monitor their health in real time and without the need for a medical visit.
Another advantage is the low cost. The reusable electronic part costs a few dozen dollars, while the replaceable part costs about $1.
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