Moroccan Team Develops AI-Powered Mask to Detect COVID-19 from Breath

Honored by this recognition, Mouhsine Lakhdissi, coordinator of the Midad project, indicated that the group of eight scientists to which he belongs has committed to being useful in order to save at least one life. While healthcare workers are on the front line, they have worked, in their case, by videoconference every evening and on weekends, until they invented this award-winning mask at the Hacking covid-19 (HEC) competition.

This mask, he recalls, makes it possible to detect, from the breath of the patients who wear it, and thanks to temperature, humidity, pressure or oxygen level sensors, respiratory insufficiencies and symptoms such as dry coughs or sneezing.

According to him, this latest generation innovation provides an initial diagnosis or ensures remote medical monitoring, thanks to Bluetooth to send up this data, to which a mobile questionnaire is added. For the Moroccan researcher, this solution also makes it possible to detect the individual’s behavior with regard to social distancing, confinement or deconfinement.

Pending authorization from the equivalent of the National Commission for Information Technology and Freedoms (CNIL) in Morocco, this mask will be launched very soon and will be marketed at a price of 20 euros, or less. According to the coordinator, there are currently two prototypes of the intelligent remote detection mask for covid-19 (MIDAD), one of which is 3D printed, washable and reusable, and the other which uses an existing mask (FFP2).