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Japan Science

Japanese Scientists Develop Glowing Masks To Detect Coronavirus (kyodonews.net) 89

Posted by msmash from the closer-look dept.
A team of scientists at a university in western Japan has developed masks that glow when exposed to ultraviolet light if they contain traces of the coronavirus, using antibodies extracted from ostrich eggs. From a report: The team at Kyoto Prefectural University, headed by its president, Yasuhiro Tsukamoto, 52, hopes the masks will offer users an easy way to test whether they have contracted the virus. With testing continuing to put them into practical use, the team aims to gain government approval to sell the masks possibly next year. Ostriches are capable of producing several different kinds of antibody, or proteins that neutralize foreign entities in the body. In February last year, the team injected an inactive and non-threatening form of the coronavirus into female ostriches, successfully extracting a large quantity of antibodies from the eggs that they laid.
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Japanese Scientists Develop Glowing Masks To Detect Coronavirus More

Japanese Scientists Develop Glowing Masks To Detect Coronavirus

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  • Re:There are more than two arthropods (Score:3)

    by dkman ( 863999 ) on Friday December 10, 2021 @12:16PM (#62066239)

    It would be a lot easier to detect if it just changed color, period. The requirement of ultraviolet light means you either need to be outside or have an ultraviolet light present.

    Don't get me wrong though, it's a lot better than nothing (aka, the current situation).

    • Where did the "arthropods" in your Subject come from? Did you mean antibodies?

      And I'm guessing the rest of the lack of clarity is due to the FP pressure. So the next question is how you think this mask is better? If the mask actually works as an anti-Covid-19 mask, then the color change only tells you the mask has been exposed, but nothing about whether you're ill.

      But the mask I still want is transparent. Basically the same as an N95 or KN95, but showing my changing facial expression. Transparent plastic, o

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by shanen ( 462549 )

        Dang nab it. Forgot to mention the cost. And I didn't even have the excuse of FP pressure.

        Pretty sure these masks would be much more expensive than the transparent masks I actually want. I'd be willing to pay a reasonable premium for transparency, especially if the mask is reusable, preferably washable, but I'm confident that the masks of this article would be MUCH more expensive. And no, I'm not encouraged by the idea of wearing the same mask until it changes color.

        • Are people out there still actually wearing masks?

          I mean, I know in the US you still have to wear one to fly...but other than that, you don't see anyone wearing them anymore, except here and there some elderly folks do.

          But ever since the vaccine and boosters being available, I don't see anyone ever wearing masks anymore.

          I haven't put one on like maybe last March/April when I got my 2nd dose of Pfizer.

          My life and lifestyle is pretty much gone back to full normal since then and from the appearance of my c

          • Re: (Score:2)

            by pjt33 ( 739471 )

            The US only accounts for about 4% of the world population and is an outlier in many many regards. You can't sensibly extrapolate from the US to the world.

            Where I live, masks are currently required in any enclosed public space, or any open public space where it's not possible to maintain a distance of 1.5m from other people. Exceptions for children under 6, people with a doctor's note, and activities which are incompatible (eating, smoking, sport). It's not as well enforced as it could be, but it is the law

            • Well, in most of the western world, we have decent enough vaccine uptake...if so, and you believe in the vaccines as far as helping you not die....why bother with the masks?

              I mean, unless you are wearing a N95 mask, you're not really making that much a difference between how much you shed or inhale....paper and fabric masks, as commonly used are fairly worthless.

              I figure if you believe what science tells us about the vaccines we have combined with the tx that are out there for it, you shouldn't really wor

              • Re: (Score:2)

                by pjt33 ( 739471 )

                Frankly, that's such a bizarre response that I had to check your recent comments to make sure you're not a troll before replying.

                Firstly, my comment was clearly about public policy, not personal opinions. I can't see the relevance of most of your response, unless you're implicitly arguing for people who trust in vaccines to participate in mass civil disobedience against mask-wearing regulations, which strikes me as a bad idea for a number of reasons, not least because it would embolden the small but crazy m

                • I had to check your recent comments to make sure you're not a troll before replying

                  And, of course, you learned that cayenne8 is indeed a troll.

                • unless you're implicitly arguing for people who trust in vaccines to participate in mass civil disobedience against mask-wearing regulations

                  What mask wearing regulations are you talking about?

                  Those were lifted quite a long time ago....they have them where you are?

                  • Re: (Score:2)

                    by pjt33 ( 739471 )

                    The ones which two thirds of the post you previously replied to were dedicated to describing.

          • Where I live in the US, everyone is wearing masks indoors. And many of us are wearing them outdoors.

            • Re: (Score:2)

              by shanen ( 462549 )

              Not in the States now, but the local situation is similar. Not strongly enforced, but most people are masked, especially in the trains and near the stations.

              However I didn't mention that I don't think masks are that effective against the incoming virus. However I think they are highly effective against spreading the virus more widely, and there are plenty of people who might be slightly sick and contagious without knowing it, especially if they've been vaccinated. Therefore I'm more concerned with protectin

      • Re: (Score:3)

        by jbengt ( 874751 )

        But the mask I still want is transparent. Basically the same as an N95 or KN95, but showing my changing facial expression.. . . Why isn't such a transparent mask on sale?

        Pretty sure the answer is physics.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by GuB-42 ( 2483988 )

          Masks rely on a mess of a micron fine fibers to block particles, and you need a significant thickness of this material to achieve the target (ex: N95) rating.

          So you have a relatively thick material that is irregular, with details about the size of the wavelength of visible light, good luck making it transparent.

          What you need is a helmet-like thing, with HEPA filters, which you can buy today, there is at least one manufacturer that does that. Plus some DIY solution, for example, early in the pandemic, people

          • Re: (Score:2)

            by shanen ( 462549 )

            Someone else replied along the same lines, but with fewer technical considerations. However I still find that a bit hard to believe given all the different kinds of plastics we are able to make.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by HiThere ( 15173 )

        I don't think the fabric to make the mask you want exists. What could be done is sort of a "mini-helmet" with two vent tubes, one for exhale, one for inhale. But you'd need to power that, though it wouldn't need much power. One-way vents are easy with flap valves, but the amount of air you need to force through is uncertain, and if you want to filter the intake (I envision it as around the back of the nect somewhere) you will need enough power to overcome that additional resistance.

        FWIW: The only one so

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by shanen ( 462549 )

          Considering all the kinds of plastics there are, I find it hard to believe no such material exists. Your link is definitely overboard.

          However, you reminded me of another weird angle... The mask could be integrated with a smart watch cap with a built-in smartphone and various other capabilities. But that's an ancient solution approach idea that never went anywhere (though I still think about it from time to time).

      • ... the mask I still want is transparent. Basically the same as an N95 or KN95, but showing my changing facial expression....

        Try this search [amazon.com] or more specificially this item [amazon.com].

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by shanen ( 462549 )

          I've done such searches and seen lots of similar items. NOT the masks I am searching for. The hard plastic approaches (as in your second link) fundamentally work badly and are too intrusive, too. But this one is almost there: https://www.amazon.com/Transpa... [amazon.com] (I might even try them if I can find a non-Amazon source. My second and last purchase from Amazon was 20 years ago.)

    • Easy enough for any place that needs to screen people to keep one on hand.

  • And then, what? (Score:3)

    by ffkom ( 3519199 ) on Friday December 10, 2021 @12:16PM (#62066245)
    What use case do they propose? Just random people walking around with such a mask, checking in the evening whether it glows under UV-light? Then what? If people fear they could have been infected, they could just as well run one of the established antigen tests. Or is this just a novelty item for the curious who enjoy finding "hey, today I passed through some space where apparently some virus particles were, too!".

    • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

      by pete6677 ( 681676 )

      What use case do they propose?

      Selling overpriced masks.

      • these would be tremendously useful for things like airport checkins and concerts / events. It could mean super fast checkins.

        The only downside is shmucks would make it political. If they just refuse to wear them fine, but they'll make fake masks to get around the checks. Still, it might not matter if there aren't too many of those shmucks.

        • Re: (Score:1)

          by NFN_NLN ( 633283 )

          > The only downside is shmucks would make it political.

          I hear ya...

          "So, Apparently the Emmys Were Exempt From Local COVID-19 Rules"
          https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyl... [yahoo.com]

          "Private jets and no masks — how Obama’s party was height of elite hypocrisy"
          https://nypost.com/2021/08/09/... [nypost.com]

        • I posted earlier asking if people somewhere were still wearing masks....

          It isn't political for me, nor most folks I know....but NO one wears them around me in my community, except here and there for some elderly folks.

          But once the vaccines and boosters came out, for me and I'm guessing my community around me, we all shed the masks and went back to life as normal before pandemic.

          With the exception of having to wear one here in the US to fly...I've not donned a mask since about last April or so after I got

          • Re: (Score:2)

            by jbengt ( 874751 )
            Where I live, mask wearing is mandatory in most indoor commercial settings.
            Federally, it is required to wear masks in public transportation, including airlines and railroads.
            Masks are required in schools, the airport, and railroad facilities, all of which I visit fairly regularly for my job.
            I wear a mask walking thru the lobby of the office building I work in, but take it off when sitting at my desk (all in my small office are all fully vaccinated and half have had their booster shots)

            • Where I live, mask wearing is mandatory in most indoor commercial settings.

              Federally, it is required to wear masks in public transportation, including airlines and railroads.

              Masks are required in schools, the airport, and railroad facilities, all of which I visit fairly regularly for my job.

              I wear a mask walking thru the lobby of the office building I work in, but take it off when sitting at my desk (all in my small office are all fully vaccinated and half have had their booster shots)

              Thanks for the rep

            • Same here in Paraguay. Outside, there are still a lot of people wearing masks, but much less than 6 months ago. However, once you enter a commercial or government building, you are required to wear a mask. And still a facility near any/all entrances to wash your hands as well.

              The main difference is that there aren't people anymore that check if you wash your hands or not. There are still checks for mask-wearing.

              Then again, 4 months after the initial outbreak things got less strict here. Shops and other comm

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by njvack ( 646524 )

      If these are cheap enough for daily use, yeah, you wear the mask all day. At the end of the day, you take off the mask and shine your UV light on the inside of it and if it's all glowy, you know there's covid on it from somewhere; probably from inside you! You take a test to confirm.

      It's potentially nicer than rapid tests because you can wear the mask for multiple days and check after each day, no need to consume a test every day. It also sounds like it's sensitive to the amount of virus present, so you can

    • If people fear they could have been infected, they could just as well run one of the established antigen tests.

      You mean manually do an invasive and painful (if done properly) test at the cost of several dollars per day? Yeah I can totally see how that would be much better than simply shining a torch on something. /s

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by jbengt ( 874751 )

        You mean manually do an invasive and painful (if done properly) test at the cost of several dollars per day?

        I took a rapid antigen test a couple of weeks ago. The nose swab was uncomfortable, but in no way painful. And I did do it properly, according to the directions. Yes, it cost a couple of dollars, but doing every day would not be necessary or reasonable.
        Still, the mask thing sounds be better and more convenient. But it probably has a catch or two not mentioned in TFA.

    • What was unclear from the parts I read was whether it gives quicker results than a lateral flow test. If so, it could be handy for movie theaters or restaurants or airlines.

  • They glows when they senses orcses!

    Gollum!

  • Used a "non-threatening" form of coronavirus (Score:4, Interesting)

    by 93 Escort Wagon ( 326346 ) on Friday December 10, 2021 @12:19PM (#62066255)

    If that works as a COVID-19 detector - wouldn't that mean the masks will indicate if you've contracted *any* strain of coronavirus, rather than just COVID-19?

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by njvack ( 646524 )

      No, presumably the virus they used had the spike protein we've been using to detect, but was inactivated so it wouldn't cause illness.

      Basically, do something to your virus that leaves the proteins more or less alone, but wrecks the RNA or the membrane such that it can't replicate any more. A lot of vaccines are made this way.

  • This is Japan. There are certain expectations here.

  • glowing masks (Score:3, Funny)

    by rossdee ( 243626 ) on Friday December 10, 2021 @12:40PM (#62066331)

    Are they manufactured at Fukushima ?

  • Ostriches are capable of producing several different kinds of antibody

    (giggle)

    • From the home of Godzilla and Rodan: gigantic mutant glowing Covid spewing ostriches. Pitching the story treatment now.

  • is this ANY Coronavirus, or just coronavirus19? how about variants. I sense there is some detail missing here.

  • The scientists set out to develop glowing schoolgirl underwear to be sold in the vending machines, but accidentally discovered this application during QA.

  • Wonder what Michigan would look like (Score:3)

    by smooth wombat ( 796938 ) on Friday December 10, 2021 @01:59PM (#62066619) Journal
    Michigan had more people hospitalized with covid this week than at any other time, with hospitilizations jumping 88% this month [cnn.com] alone. One healthcare provider, Sparrow Health Systems, has had 289 people die since January due to covid.

    Maybe they could use some of these masks to figure out who is spreading the plague.

    • Oh, a CNN source.

      This totally accurate and not sensationalist at all report brought to you by Pfizer! [youtube.com]

    • Why wait for the masks to get out of research? Do what Dr. Mina and many others have been pushing all along and flood the country with enough lateral flow tests for everyone who goes out in public to test twice a week. Even with Delta, that's going to catch a useful number of cases before they spread.

    • The people doing the spreading are almost certainly not wearing masks.

      What we need is a real-time covid sensor that can report to an app on your phone, which could then upload a report using something like the current exposure notifications [google.com] protocol.

      That way, contact tracing could happen in near-real-time.

      • How about all the people wearing worthless home made masks? Or all the people wearing masks under their noses? Or all the other incorrect mask wearing? Wearing masks is more theater than useful. The bulk of people "wearing" masks are either wearing ones that don't do much of anything or not wearing them correctly.

  • Are they trying to summon the spirit of Terry Davis?

  • Governor Death Sentence would never allow these masks to be worn in his enclave. He's more interested in making sure the true number of people dying in Florida never sees the light of day [acasignups.net] considering it could be 15 times higher than what is being reported.

    It's why he ordered state health departments to stop reporting county level deaths in the beginning of June. To hide how bad things are down there. Fortunately, the CDC is under no such gag order and has been reporting the true death toll since Sept
  • that will turn the water blue when someone pees in a swimming pool.

  • A team of scientists at a university in western Japan has developed masks that glow when exposed to ultraviolet light if they contain traces of the coronavirus, using antibodies extracted from ostrich eggs.

    Oh yeah, that makes total sense. Carry on.

    [insert confused emoji here]

  • So they are admitting that masks don't work. The article says this offers a way to find out if you've contracted the virus if the mask lights up.

    That may not be what they're really saying. However, from the article one could think that.

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