Researchers at the California Institute of Technology have developed an innovative paper mask capable of real-time monitoring of chemicals in exhaled breath, providing a cost-effective tool for assessing various medical conditions. This cutting-edge mask, known as EBCare, can monitor respiratory issues such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and post-COVID-19 infections.
Lead investigator Wei Gao, a professor of medical engineering, highlighted the significance of breath monitoring in assessing respiratory conditions. Gao’s team focused on creating tools for remote, personalized health monitoring that deliver real-time feedback in everyday settings.
One of the key features of the EBCare mask is its affordability, with a material cost of just $1. The team overcame the challenge of cooling and condensing exhaled breath for chemical analysis by integrating a passive cooling system using hydrogel evaporative and radiative cooling. This approach enables efficient, real-time analysis of breath chemicals.
The mask wirelessly transmits the analysis results to a connected device, such as a phone or computer. Initial tests focused on patients with asthma or COPD, monitoring nitrite levels in their breath—a marker of airway inflammation. The masks proved effective in detecting this biomarker and showed potential for measuring blood alcohol levels and monitoring kidney disease by detecting elevated ammonium levels in exhaled breath.
Caltech’s team aims to further expand this technology to include additional markers for a broader range of health conditions.
