Smart face masks? Fever-feeling doorbells? CES 2021 Tech promises protection by Covid.

The $ 150 paired AirPop Active + mask, which I’ve been testing for the past few days, was officially announced this week on what can now only be called CPS — the Covid Protection Show. Goodbye, CES!

That would definitely happen. Every year, tech companies and entrepreneurs show up at the Vegas tech show with new ideas on how gadgets can solve our everyday problems. The biggest difference this year? Everyone seems focused on the same problem. Well, that and everyone showed up on the internet. The show is completely digital.

But I do not place all the Covid-19 prevention equipment – everything from smart air purifiers to temperature recording of video doorbells – in the same category as the smart fork (a real CES product I once rated) or the smart toothbrush ( another real CES product I once reviewed). This year’s devices are aimed at helping us understand a very clear and current danger. Even better, some were built to destroy it.

Since the best part of CES actually touches and feels the equipment (talk about germs!), I sent some of this to the CPS 2021 show floor – also my basement. Here are some of my thoughts on what is worthwhile and what is not worthwhile.

Masking the Tech

I would not buy the $ 150 AirPop Active +, but that does not mean I do not appreciate it. Six years ago, the company’s founder, Chris Hosmer, lives in China, where his young daughter suffered acute respiratory reactions to harmful air. He tried to build a mask that is addressed by man-made, ecological and pathogenic threats – mainly pollution, wildfires and diseases.

The quarter-sized deadad integrated on the front of the mask has sensors that capture data, temperature and humidity associated with breathing. It connects via Bluetooth with your smartphone to tell you your breathing rate, how many pollutants have been blocked, the air quality index and more. Since it knows how long you have been wearing the mask, it can also tell you when to change the filter. The mask’s plug-in filters are good for wearing for 40 hours.

Even though I feel like a superhero every time I put on the mask, it’s too much data for me. I just want a good mask to protect myself – and others – from getting sick. (I also had a first buggy unit, but the replacement works well.) If you are interested, the mask will be shipped in February. Or you can get a “stupid” version right now – no sensor – for $ 56.

LG’s PuriCare Wearable Air Purifier, which looks straight from ‘The Dark Knight Rises’, goes a step further. In addition to a respiratory sensor, it has built-in fans, a HEPA filter and an air purification system to protect you. I have not tested it myself – for now it is only available in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Iraq. It is coming to other countries soon.

I can recommend a cheaper paired mask that I have been testing for a few months. The $ 50 MaskFone, as I said in the WSJ Personal Tech 2020 gift guide, is nothing more than a Bluetooth headset draped by a mask, but it makes talking on the phone while being masked. ‘ a more pleasant experience. On top of that, it is ideal for running: the earplugs stay inside because they are attached to the ruffles.

appeal,

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it is remarkable, has a mask of my own that I also used. Except that there is nothing ‘smart’ about it – it’s a simple white mask of thick material with adjustable lashes. It’s not for sale; it was made for Apple employees.

Killing the germs

‘I’m sorry this column was late. My keyboard and mouse are disinfected. Fortunately, my editor understands the importance of disinfection.

Targus’ UV-C LED Desktop Desinfection Light, designed to sit between your monitor and keyboard, turns on automatically every hour and radiates UV light for five minutes to destroy bacteria, viruses, fungi or mold. This is the time needed to achieve a 99% reduction in things, says a Targus spokesman. Did you type in a very important email address? The motion-activated sensors keep the potentially harmful light off until you are off the keyboard. Disinfection does not come cheap: Targus plans to sell it by April for $ 299.

The problem with testing any UV disinfectant, including tanning for smartphones? Your devices do not actually look cleaner after that. (My keyboard still contains what appears to be dried honey mustard on the “H” test. Do not judge.) The basic science has been proven, but you have to accept the claims on face value.

What else needs to be cleaned well? The sky around your desk. Of course not my desktop – my desktop air has a ‘good’ rating, according to the $ 200 PuriCare Mini Air Purifier I used. I can turn on the milk carton size device using my iPhone and get a report of the current air quality. It is meant for your car or hockey, not your living room. It is available now.

Is this LG too big for you? The Luft Duo, which according to its manufacturer is the smallest molecular purifier in the world, is shorter than a can of soft drink. However, it can not be paired with smartphones, so I have to walk after it to change the settings. Life is hard.

Sensation of temperature

Option 1? Stand someone at your front door to take temperature, like at my son’s school. (Bless you, Mrs. Laura!)

Option 2? Install the Plott Ettie, a video doorbell with an infrared thermometer. Just like a ring doorbell, it is connected to an app so you can see who is on your doormat. But unlike Ring, it also shows the person’s body temperature. The device, which is later expected to cost $ 300 for $ 300, is intended for homes and businesses. The non-working prototype I borrowed looks cool, but is definitely bigger than other connected doorbells.

Just remember that fever is not a clear indication of Covid. “Temperature is essentially worthless – no matter how you measure it,” says Dr. Eric Topol, a cardiologist and executive vice president of Scripps Research. As he explained in my column a few months ago, most people diagnosed with Covid-19 do not have elevated temperatures, and you can spread the virus long before you have a fever.

A device that dr. Topol not thinking worthless? The BioIntelliSense BioButton, an FDA-cleaned portable patch that continuously monitors temperature, respiratory rate, sleep and heart rate.

The patch could be on display at CES this week, and it could be used to detect Covid-19 symptoms – possibly even early. It was originally developed to monitor patients in various adjustable ways and has a battery life of 30 to 90 days. I tested a similar patch for a video on using portable devices, including smartwatches, to detect or diagnose Covid-19. Unlike a mask or disinfectant, these types of devices prevent you from reaching germs, but early detection of Covid can do even more to slow the spread to others.

BioIntelliSense works with different companies, organizations and countries – for example Saint Lucia, which requires everyone who visits a week before they arrive to wear a BioButton. It will be on sale to the general public next week for about $ 60.

There is actually only one problem with such a device: since you wear it under your clothes, no one will know that you are a bad slingshot.

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Write to Joanna Stern at [email protected]