TOYOHASHI, Aichi Prefecture--A face mask designed to protect against Zika fever has been developed in time for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Brazil, where a viral outbreak is raging.
The company behind the product is Clever, a manufacturer of mesh products based in this central Japan city. It has received orders online from athletes who will be competing in Rio de Janeiro this summer.
Marketed as “Bo-bi Pro,” the mask comprises 12 layers that prevent the inhalation of viruses. It also comes with a filter permeated with mosquito-repellent extracts of “hinoki” Japanese cypress.
The extracts stick chemically to carbon dioxide contained in exhaled air, so the mere act of breathing effectively repels virus-carrying mosquitoes, Clever officials said, adding that the mask can be worn with comfort--even in sweltering heat.
Tests by an external research body showed that more than 90 percent of mosquitoes take flight when they encounter someone wearing the mask.
"Our product represents a new-generation face mask, which not only comes with the primary function of blocking inhalation of viruses but also uses exhaled breath to repel mosquitoes,” Clever President Tsuyoshi Nakagawara said. “Notably, it can be worn with comfort even in summer.”
The inner lawyer of the mask is made of special fibers that absorb sweat and lower body temperature when they come into contact with the skin.
About a decade ago, Clever developed insect-repellent net products, which use nets permeated with hinoki extracts that effectively alienate mosquitoes, to fight malaria and dengue fever. The company received a rash of orders, from overseas as well.
Clever said it developed the mask after it received numerous requests in response to the spread of Zika fever in Brazil.
A set of five disposable masks costs 2,980 yen ($28). A custom-made version, bundled with 10 replacement filters, a mask cover and bug-repellent organic oil, is available for 14,980 yen.
The company behind the product is Clever, a manufacturer of mesh products based in this central Japan city. It has received orders online from athletes who will be competing in Rio de Janeiro this summer.
Marketed as “Bo-bi Pro,” the mask comprises 12 layers that prevent the inhalation of viruses. It also comes with a filter permeated with mosquito-repellent extracts of “hinoki” Japanese cypress.
The extracts stick chemically to carbon dioxide contained in exhaled air, so the mere act of breathing effectively repels virus-carrying mosquitoes, Clever officials said, adding that the mask can be worn with comfort--even in sweltering heat.
Tests by an external research body showed that more than 90 percent of mosquitoes take flight when they encounter someone wearing the mask.
"Our product represents a new-generation face mask, which not only comes with the primary function of blocking inhalation of viruses but also uses exhaled breath to repel mosquitoes,” Clever President Tsuyoshi Nakagawara said. “Notably, it can be worn with comfort even in summer.”
The inner lawyer of the mask is made of special fibers that absorb sweat and lower body temperature when they come into contact with the skin.
About a decade ago, Clever developed insect-repellent net products, which use nets permeated with hinoki extracts that effectively alienate mosquitoes, to fight malaria and dengue fever. The company received a rash of orders, from overseas as well.
Clever said it developed the mask after it received numerous requests in response to the spread of Zika fever in Brazil.
A set of five disposable masks costs 2,980 yen ($28). A custom-made version, bundled with 10 replacement filters, a mask cover and bug-repellent organic oil, is available for 14,980 yen.
