In the near future, individuals would be able to evaluate their own risk of contracting COVID-19 for all types of environments. This includes evaluating the risk of contracting at the doctor’s offices, restaurants, and hospitals by simply donning a small air quality sensor and connecting it to an application on the phone.
In fact, for years, the lead researcher of the study has been working to refine sensors, with the original aim to monitor air quality for workers exposed to various industrial environments. With the outbreak of the pandemic, it led to increased pertinent avenues for air monitoring quality devices. Characteristically, these devices absorb air from a small box that can either be worn by individuals or the large ones can be placed on a wall.
Meanwhile, air quality sensors is a relatively new field and the team associated with the development of these devices are pioneers for COVID-19 detection.
Comparatively, MAXIMA is a somewhat larger unit and is placed on a surface such as a wall. MINIMA, on the other hand is a wearable sensor that enables data exchange with each other and with the dashboard.
Yet, as the pandemic got the attention of the entire world, the focus of aerosol research shifted. This includes several projects that can reveal how SARS-CoV-2 of COVID-19 spreads through air, and how engineers can help individuals to lessen the chances of contracting the disease. While, the sensors currently available measure all airborne particles in real time, the objective is to integrate them with technology that could indicate if air particles contain active viruses.
Importantly, these sensors could be applicable for flu and other viruses in the future, adds the researcher.