Look at this perfect example of true biomimicry inspired innovation.
Japanese researchers developed masks that use ostrich antibodies to detect Covid-19 by glowing under ultraviolet light. The secret to its coronavirus detection? Ostriches produce different antibodies in order to fight COVID. With that in mind, the team created a special mask filter that’s sprayed with a fluorescent dye containing antibodies extracted from ostrich eggs. If it comes into contact with the virus, the contaminated areas of the filter will glow brightly under a UV light.
The discovery by Professor Yasuhiro Tsukamoto and his team at Kyoto Prefectural University in western Japan could provide for low-cost testing of the virus at home. They hope to eventually gain government approval for the innovation, and begin selling them as soon as 2022.
