Engineers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) designed a heated mask that would filter and inactivate the coronavirus, reducing the risk of infection.

According to Sci-Tech Daily, the reusable mask will include a heated copper mesh that will be powered by a battery.

According to the research, the mesh and high temperatures would inactivate viral particles of the virus as airflows repeatedly across the mesh while the person wearing the mask breathes in and out.

This kind of mask would be helpful for health care workers or for people that have to be in places where social distancing would be difficult to achieve.

“This is a completely new mask concept in that it doesn’t primarily block the virus. It actually lets the virus go through the mask, but slows and inactivates it,” said Michael Strano, one of the MIT professors.

He noted that the masks people are wearing now do protect them from getting infected, but there’s no one really thinking about inactivating the virus and sterilizing the air.

“That surprised me,” he added.

The researchers are planning to launch testing for the masks very soon as they have already begun building prototypes.