UC San Diego Developing Face Mask Sensor That Detects COVID-19

The National Institutes of Health awarded UC San Diego $ 1.3 million to develop a small, wearable sensor that can tell if a person has the coronavirus or has been exposed to it by someone else.

The lightweight sensor would be attached to face masks to monitor for the presence of coronavirus-related molecules that appear in a person’s breath and saliva.

The “surveillance” test strip would also detect viral molecules expelled by someone else and possibly inhaled by the wearer of the mask.

The user would squeeze the sensor to see if it changes color, indicating a positive reading. The process is similar to that used to check the results of a home pregnancy test.

If there is a positive reading, the mask wearer would then be tested to confirm infection. The result would be available almost immediately. The sensor is also intended to be useful in finding contacts.

“This would be a way to identify epidemics early,” said Jesse Jokerst, professor of nanotechnology at UCSD leading the project. “We’re reusing something that people are already wearing to kind of monitor the environment.”

The test strip, which could be ready for use later this year, is a variation of the measures UCSD is already taking to detect and stop the spread of the coronavirus.

In the fall, the university began placing sensors in its wastewater system to monitor the presence of the virus in wastewater exiting specific buildings. When there is a positive reading, UCSD alerts people who may have used the buildings at specific times and asks them to take a COVID-19 test.

The early warning system is the largest of its kind at an American university and will likely be in use for some time. Although UCSD has taken many steps to slow the spread of the virus, the campus has seen an increase in infections since the start of the winter term on January 4. Over 40% of students who test positive live on campus. UCSD also reports that 88 of its employees have tested positive since the start of the new quarter.

Robbins writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune.