Personalized Nasal Protective Devices: Importance and Perspectives

Life (Basel). 2023 Oct 25;13(11):2116. doi: 10.3390/life13112116.

Abstract

Nowadays, in addition to diseases caused by environmental pollution, the importance of personalized protection against various infectious agents has become of paramount importance. Besides medicine, several technical and technological studies have been carried out to develop suitable devices. One such revolutionary solution is the use of personalized nasal filters, which allow our body to defend itself more effectively against external environmental damage and pathogens. These filters are small devices that are placed in the nose and specifically filter the inhaled environmental contaminants, allergens, and microorganisms according to individual needs. These devices not only play a key role in maintaining our health but also contribute to environmental protection, reducing the inhalation of pollutants and their harmful impact on the natural environment. Another advantage of personalized filters is that they also provide an opportunity to strengthen our individual immune systems. The use of personalized filters allows medicine to provide optimized protection for everyone, focusing on individual genetic and immunological conditions. The momentum behind the development and research of personalized nasal filters has reached astonishing proportions today. Nowadays, many research groups and medical institutions are working to create new materials, nanotechnologies, and bioinformatics solutions in order to create even more effective personalized nasal filters that can also be shaped easily and safely. Considering the needs of the users is at least as important during development as the efficiency of the device. These two properties together determine the success of the product. Industry research focuses not only on improving the efficiency of devices, but also on making them more responsive to user needs, comfort, and portability. Based on all this, it can be concluded that personalized nasal filters can be a promising and innovative solution for protection against environmental pollutants and pathogens. Through a commitment to the research and development of technology, the long-term impact of such devices on our health and the environment can be significant, contributing to improving people's quality of life and creating a sustainable future. With unique solutions and continuous research, we give hope that in the future, despite the environmental challenges, we can enjoy the protection of our health with even more efficient and sophisticated devices.

Keywords: individual protective devices; infective respiratory diseases; nasal filters.

Publication types

  • Review

Grants and funding

This research was supported by the Thematic Excellence Program (TKP2020-NKA-04) of the Ministry for Innovation and Technology in Hungary. Project no. TKP2021-EGA-18 was implemented with the support provided by the Ministry of Culture and Innovation of Hungary from the National Research, Development, and Innovation Fund, financed under the TKP2021-EGA funding scheme. The work/publication is supported by the GINOP-2.3.4-15-2016-00002 project. The project is co-financed by the European Union and the European Regional Development Fund. The work/publication is supported by the GINOP-2.3.1-20-2020-00004 project. The project is co-financed by the European Union and the European Regional Development Fund.