Smart Face Mask

The repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic are still being felt around the world. Frontline medical personnel have borne the burden of this pandemic, putting their lives on the line while saving others.

In scenarios such as this, it is important to ensure their well-being, by monitoring their physiological parameters regularly, even continuously. While wrist-worn devices can fulfill this purpose to some extent, they fall short when it comes to delivering clinical-grade data.

Sensors integrated in personal protective equipment (PPE) can offer a non-intrusive, continuous mechanism to measure and communicate the physiological parameters of the wearer. They can be in direct contact with the body of the wearer and can be positioned where the different physiological parameters can be accurately measured.

Medical-grade face masks with integrated electronics are an example of “smart” PPE, which, besides frontline medical personnel, are useful for the general population too in pandemic situations. TNO at Holst Centre invites PPE manufacturing and commercializing companies to learn more about the possibilities.