Wearable bioelectronic masks for wireless detection of respiratory infectious diseases by gaseous media
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Updated: Aug 27, 2025
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Published on: March 29, 2024
Bingfang Wang1, Deqi Yang1, Zhiqiang Chang1
1Research Center for Translational Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital affiliated to Tongji University, The Institute for Biomedical Engineering & Nano Science, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200120, China.
Abstract:
Respiratory infectious diseases (H1N1, H5N1, COVID-19, etc.) are pandemics that can continually spread in the air through micro-droplets or aerosols. However, the detection of samples in gaseous media is hampered by the requirement for trace amounts and low concentrations. Here, we develop a wearable bioelectronic mask device integrated with ion-gated transistors. Based on the sensitive gating effect of ion gels, our aptamer-functionalized transistors can measure trace-level liquid samples (0.3 μL) and even gaseous media samples at an ultra-low concentration (0.1 fg/mL). The ion-gated transistor with multi-channel analysis can respond to multiple targets simultaneously within as fast as 10 min, especially without sample pretreatment. Integrating a wireless internet of things system enables the wearable mask to achieve real-time and on-site detection of the surrounding air, providing an alert before infection. The wearable bioelectronic masks hold promise to serve as an early warning system to prevent outbreaks of respiratory infectious diseases.
Insights
This study introduces a wearable bioelectronic mask with aptamer-functionalized transistors for detecting airborne respiratory infectious diseases. The device offers rapid, on-site alerts for pathogens like COVID-19, enhancing public health surveillance.
Area of Science:
- Bioelectronics
- Sensor Technology
- Infectious Disease Surveillance
Background:
- Respiratory infectious diseases spread via airborne micro-droplets and aerosols.
- Detecting low-concentration airborne pathogens requires sensitive, rapid methods.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a wearable device for real-time, on-site detection of airborne respiratory pathogens.
- To overcome limitations in detecting trace amounts of infectious agents in gaseous media.
Main Methods:
- Integration of aptamer-functionalized ion-gated transistors into a wearable mask.
- Utilizing the sensitive gating effect of ion gels for ultra-low concentration detection.
- Implementing a multi-channel analysis and wireless IoT system for real-time monitoring.
Main Results:
- Detection of trace liquid (0.3 μL) and gaseous media samples (0.1 fg/mL) without pretreatment.
- Simultaneous multi-target detection within 10 minutes.
- Real-time, on-site air monitoring and early infection alerts.
Conclusions:
- Wearable bioelectronic masks offer a promising early warning system for respiratory infectious diseases.
- The developed technology enables rapid, sensitive, and on-site detection of airborne pathogens.
- This innovation can aid in preventing widespread outbreaks and improving public health safety.
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