News > Novel face mask developed by MIT, Harvard can detect COVID-19 infection

Novel face mask developed by MIT, Harvard can detect COVID-19 infection

Researchers at MIT and Harvard University have designed a new face mask that can diagnose if the wearer is infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes COVID-19, within 90 minutes.

The mask design has embedded tiny, disposable sensors that could also be adapted to detect other viruses. The researchers showed that the sensors could be incorporated into not only face masks but also clothing such as lab coats, potentially offering a new way to monitor health care workers' exposure to a variety of pathogens.