'Facebit' Adds Health Monitoring to Your COVID Mask!
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Millions of people wear activity monitors like Fitbits or Apple Watches that track their steps, sleep, heart rate, and other metrics. And millions of people have gotten used to wearing face masks to reduce the transmission of COVID-19. Now, scientists have combined these two to create FaceBit: a device that fits inside a mask and can monitor respiration, heart rate, and even how well the mask fits or when it's time to replace it. With funding from the National Science Foundation, a group of researchers at Northwestern University designed a smart sensor about the size of a quarter. The device, dubbed FaceBit, attaches with a tiny magnet inside a surgical, cloth, or respirator face mask, such an N95, KN95, or KF94. The device is powered by a rechargeable internal battery that lasts at least 11 days and generates more energy from sunlight, motion, and the heat from breath.
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@senjuti The device serves two purposes: to monitor several health metrics and to alert when the mask has become inefficient for some reason due to poor fit, a leak, or deterioration. FaceBit measures heart rate and respiration based on temperature changes from breath. It uses pressure measurements to determine how well the mask fits and how long a person has been wearing it.