A new smart sensor has been unveiled which can turn any face mask into a Fitbit-style health monitoring device.
The FaceBit, or 'Fitbit for the face', is a quarter-sized sensor which attaches to a face mask using a small magnet and tracks a user's respiration rate, heart rate, how long they have been wearing the mask, and if the mask has begun to leak.
Designed with the medical community in mind, it can be used by anyone to monitor their health, especially as many states and cities across the US continue their mask mandates.
The lightweight device can even be used to predict the wearer's emotional state and level of fatigue, according to the group of Northwestern University engineers behind the Facebit.
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A new smart sensor has been unveiled which can turn any face mask into a Fitbit-style health monitoring device
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The gadget transfers all the data wirelessly to a smartphone app to users can check on their health in real time. In the case of a mask leak, or another health risk such as an elevated heart rate, it can send an immediate notification to the user.
While the tiny device is powered by a small battery, it is constantly being recharged simply by the force of the user's breath. It also takes a charge from the heat emanating from the wearer, as well as the sun, meaning it would last for 11 days between full charges.
The lead designer Josiah Hester, Breed Junior Professor of Design at Northwestern's McCormick School of Engineering, said he wanted to create an 'intelligent' face mask aimed at health care professionals which 'does not need to be inconveniently plugged in during the middle of a shift,' Eureka alerts reports.
'We augmented the battery's energy with energy harvesting from various sources, which means that you can wear the mask for a week or two without having to charge or replace the battery.'
The FaceBit, or 'Fitbit for the face', is a quarter-sized sensor which attaches to a face mask using a small magnet and tracks a user's respiration rate, heart rate, how long they have been wearing the mask, and if the mask has begun to leak
The lightweight device can even be used to predict the wearer's emotional state and level of fatigue, according to the group of Northwestern University engineers behind the Facebit
