Smart Face Mask Based on an Ultrathin Pressure Sensor for Wireless Monitoring of Breath Conditions

Abstract

A smart face mask that can conveniently monitor breath information is beneficial for maintaining personal health and preventing the spread of diseases. However, some challenges still need to be addressed before such devices can be of practical use. One key challenge is to develop a pressure sensor that is easily triggered by low pressure and has excellent stability as well as electrical and mechanical properties. In this study, a wireless smart face mask is designed by integrating an ultrathin self‐powered pressure sensor and a compact readout circuit with a normal face mask. The pressure sensor is the thinnest (totally compressed thickness of ≈5.5 µm) and lightest (total weight of ≈4.5 mg) electrostatic pressure sensor capable of achieving a peak open‐circuit voltage of up to ≈10 V when stimulated by airflow, which endows the sensor with the advantage of readout circuit miniaturization and makes the breath‐monitoring system portable and wearable. To demonstrate the capabilities of the smart face mask, it is used to wirelessly measure and analyze the various breath conditions of multiple testers.

Smartphone-Operated Wireless Chemical Sensors: A Review

“…J Zhong's group created a wireless smart facemask by combining an ultrathin self-powered pressure sensor and a small readout circuit with a standard facemask, giving the breath-monitoring device the benefit of readout circuit miniaturization, and making it portable and wearable. Subsequently, these devices turned out to be very cost-effective and helpful in healthcare by reducing patient discomfort [71].…”

A Wide-bandwidth Nanocomposite-Sensor Integrated Smart Mask for Tracking Multi-phase Respiratory Activities for COVID-19 Endemic

“…Therefore, deploying a face mask to monitor human physiological signals has been highly beneficial for personal and public health [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27]. Different kinds of smart masks have been proposed to detect body signals including respiratory rate/heart rate [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20], skin temperature [14,18,[21][22][23][24][25], cough counting (based on temperature and pressure change) [18,20], blood oxygen [14] and airborne pathogens [26,27].…”

“…Therefore, deploying a face mask to monitor human physiological signals has been highly beneficial for personal and public health [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27]. Different kinds of smart masks have been proposed to detect body signals including respiratory rate/heart rate [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20], skin temperature [14,18,[21][22][23][24][25], cough counting (based on temperature and pressure change) [18,20], blood oxygen [14] and airborne pathogens [26,27]. Among them, respiratory activities, in particular cough as a key symptom of respiratory illness, are usually of great significance in assisting the diagnosis of diseases such as pertussis and asthma [28][29][30], and the latest research also further indicates that the impact of COVID-19 on the respiratory system may lead to notable changes in the voice of infected people which can be determined by speak, breath, and cough [31][32][33].…”

“…For example, the nanogenerators based on the nanofibrous [13] and the nanostructured polytetrafluoroethylene (n-PTFE) thin film [16] were used to detect the breath activities successfully. An ultrathin pressure sensor with piezoelectric-like properties was also integrated in a face mask to detect human breath activities [20]. As for coughing, researchers used integrated sensors detect the temperature change [18] and air flow [20] during coughing.…”

“…An ultrathin pressure sensor with piezoelectric-like properties was also integrated in a face mask to detect human breath activities [20]. As for coughing, researchers used integrated sensors detect the temperature change [18] and air flow [20] during coughing. These coughing detection sensors focus only on cough counting, the obtained information would be limited since coughing is a process consisting of several stages.…”