Coronavirus: Hong Kong inventor unveils reusable masks he says employ UV rays, ‘photocatalytic coating’ to disinfect in storage
- Stark Chan, who rose to fame as a teen tech prodigy, says the coating on the masks’ exterior releases a substance that can kill bacteria and viruses
- The tech entrepreneur said while the new masks have no formal certification, a local university has found them more effective than surgical masks
Speaking at a media briefing, Chan, founder of tech firm Bull B Tech, said he and a partner had invested more than a million dollars in what he said were the city’s first reusable masks to feature a photocatalytic coating that releases a substance that kills or decomposes bacteria or viruses when exposed to UV light.
He said the invention, which utilises a battery-powered UV storage bag, was inspired by the images of lengthy queues and stories of price-gouging that came amid acute early shortages of protective gear.
The same concerns have prompted local firms such as e-commerce platform HKTV mall to begin manufacturing masks locally to cope with demand.
“Over the past months, it’s been painful to see the city’s people hunting for masks, especially the elderly, who queued overnight just for a few. So I’ve been working on a type of environmentally friendly mask that can also filter [viruses],” he said.
Chan, who is partnering with Joe Lee, director of local garment and toy manufacturer Good Sincere Group, said while the mask had not undergone certification, tests at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology had shown it to have better filtration function than a surgical mask.