HAIFA: The researchers have claimed that they have invented a reusable face mask that can kill the coronavirus.
The researchers in Israel invented a reusable face mask that can kill the coronavirus with heat by drawing power from a mobile phone charger.
Professor Yair Ein-Eli, who led the research team at Technion University in Haifa said, “The disinfecting process takes about 30 minutes and users should not wear the mask while it is plugged in.”
The new mask has a USB port that connects to a power source such as a standard cellphone charger that heats an inner layer of carbon fibers to up to 70 degrees Celsius (158 degrees Fahrenheit), high enough to kill viruses.
Ein-Eli said that disposable masks, in high demand globally during the health crisis, were not economically or environmentally friendly. “You have to make it reusable and friendly, and this is our solution,” he said.
The prototype looks like a standard N95 face mask, with a valve at the front and rubber bands to hold it in place around the head. The mask is likely to be sold at $1 premium over the price of a typical disposable face mask.
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