The mask has become part of our everyday life. It is therefore very intelligent to think that, in addition to helping us prevent the spread of the virus, it can help us detect its presence.
This is the thinking of some scientistsKyoto University, who have developed masks capable of "lighting up" when they reveal the presence of the coronavirus.
The project started from the analysis of ostrich antibodies, which are particularly powerful and resistant. Studying the defense mechanisms of ostriches, doctors worked on the construction of a removable filter positioned inside the mask.
When the filter is sprayed with a chemical liquid and exposed to ultraviolet light, it glows in the presence of the virus.
The veracity of the project was demonstrated by a series of researches carried out on patients, who wore the masks for 8 hours.
The idea of the “ostrich” mask
The leader of the project Yasuhiro Tsukamoto, he started working on the mask when he realized the powerful immune system of ostriches.
I realized that the secret to longevity is that it is resistant to infectious diseases with its incredible immunity and resilience, so I began to seriously research ostrich antibodies.
Yasuhiro Tsukamoto
To be able to create antibodies against the coronavirus in the ostrich, scientists injected the birds with the virus' spike protein. They then extracted the antibodies from the yolk of baby ostrich eggs and bound them to the mask filters using polylactic acid.
Compared to antibodies produced by smaller animals (mice, rabbits, etc.), ostrich antibodies cost less than $ 1.000 per gram and can be collected in about two weeks.
Future developments
According to Tsukamoto, the ostrich antibody project will make the mask even more useful and functional.
Above all, it will transform it into a means of virus identification that is affordable and accessible to all.
"It is a practical and economical device that prevents the invasion of the virus Covid-19 in the human body", he has declared.
"If virus infection can be detected by inserting a mouth filter carrying an ostrich antibody into a 'disposable mask' that is used every day around the world, non-symptomatic infected people can be detected more easily. "
At the moment, ultraviolet light is required to illuminate the mask. However, the scientists plan to develop bezels that glow in the light of a telephone.
