Could your face mask detect Covid?

A face mask could use sensors to provide a warning about exposure to viruses. — AFP Relaxnews

Tiny sensors incorporated into wearable fabrics like masks and jackets could provide instant information on exposure to disease-causing pathogens such as the coronavirus, according to research published on Monday in the journal Nature Biotechnology.

The highly-sensitive tests that up to now have been restricted to laboratory use are integrated into smart wearables “beyond what a FitBit or Applewatch can offer”, said study co-author Peter Nguyen a research scientist at the Wyss Institute at Harvard University.