Reusable, transparent, and reconfigurable N95-equivalent Respirator Masks: design, fabrication, and trials for enhanced adoption

摘要 新冠肺炎大流行使普通民众不得不广泛使用面部防护用品。 人口，以对抗病毒传播。作为一个不幸的结果，目前的FPE的局限性是 暴露，由于其技术没有显著改进，尽管医疗环境口罩 已经被使用了100多年。对于医护人员来说，这尤其是一个问题，他们必须穿着 长时间佩戴口罩或呼吸器，通常是几个小时。这些问题包括眼镜的雾化， 不合身，佩戴者感到不适，阻碍个人之间的交流。此外, 在常见的FPE中制造的材料往往会对环境有害，并进行处理 以目前的数量使用时，会产生大量危险的垃圾填埋场废物。 这项拟议的研究试图通过开发新的FPE设计来纠正这一点。其中第一个将是一个 对SEEUS95，Inc.(纽约，NY)设计的无肩带口罩的改进，称为 SEEUS95口罩。目前的半掩模设计将由志愿者以及 已修改以创建修改子大小版本。SEEUS95口罩采用了环保的新技术 过滤器设计和滤芯使用天然材料(即空气吹制的聚乳酸)，不含聚丙烯，第一个 它在空气过滤方面是一种。同时，将研究的第二个FPE设计将是 X口罩，由陈实验室设计。通过增加硅胶衬垫来改进设计 改善配件和舒适性，并融入SEEUS95的环保呼吸器设计 口罩和一种实现轮廓呼吸道的新型过滤器设计(灵感来自人类的形态 肠道及其提取营养物质的能力)。人体受试者的试验将测试设计的有效性，并进行调查 将提取用户关于他们是更喜欢新的还是已经可用的FPE的意见，允许他们 为我们的设计重点阐述他们想要的关键功能。 这项研究的结果将导致改进的FPE设计，以实现更好的通信、舒适性和 环境后果，而不牺牲佩戴者或他/她遇到的人的安全。畅通无阻 FPE将不仅使听力损失或沟通困难的人受益，还将使医疗保健受益 工人和急救人员，但也将增加采用和遵守这种FPE的可能性，方法是 一般的公众。改进的设计提供了一种有效的方式来对抗COVID-19的影响， 如果未来出现类似情况，可能有助于防止病毒的传播。这个 结果将为旨在进一步检查和改进疗效的第二阶段研究奠定基础 这些创新的FPE，并与先进的传感技术相集成，以进行持续监测 人体健康状况，如发烧、卧床和发冷。最终，我们的研究和原型将 在公众中获得更多的采用，并提供更好的保护、社会联系、 并为我们的医疗保健专业人员提供通信服务。总之，这些创新的FPE也可以战斗 例如，通过保护人们免受野火烟雾危害，来应对气候变化和空气污染。

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated the wide use of facial protective equipment (FPE), by the general population, to combat viral spread. As an unfortunate consequence, the limitations of current FPE have been exposed, due to its technology having not improved significantly, despite medical environmental facemasks being used for over 100 years. This is particularly a problem with healthcare workers, who must wear facemasks or respirators for long periods, often several hours. These problems include fogging of eyewear, improper fitting, discomfort to the wearer, and hindered communication between individuals. In addition, the materials made in commonly available FPE can often be harmful to the environment, and their disposal can generate a large amount of hazardous landfill waste when used in present day quantities. The proposed research seeks to remedy this by developing new FPE designs. The first of these will be an improvement to the strapless facemask designed by SEEUS95, Inc. (New York, NY) known as the SEEUS95 respirator mask. The current half-mask design will be tested and trialed by volunteers, as well as modified to create a modification child-size version. The SEEUS95 masks features an eco-friendly new filter design and cartridge using natural materials (i.e., air-blown PLA) with no polypropylene, the first of its kind in air filtration. In tandem, the second FPE design to be studied will be an improved version of the X-mask, designed by the Chen laboratory. The design will be improved by adding a silicone padding to improve fitting and comfort, as well as incorporating the eco-friendly respirator design of the SEEUS95 masks and a novel filter design implementing contour airways (inspired by the morphology of the human gut and its ability to extract nutrients). Human subjects’ trials will test the designs for efficacy, and surveys will extract users’ opinions regarding whether they prefer the new or already available FPE, allowing them to elaborate on their desired key features for our design focus. The outcomes of this study will lead to improved FPE designs for better communication, comfort, and environmental outcomes, without sacrificing the safety of the wearer or those he/she encounters. The clear FPE will not only benefit those with hearing loss or difficulties in communications, as well as healthcare workers and first responders, but will also increase the likelihood of adopting and adhering to such FPE by the general public. The improved designs offer an effective manner to combat the effects of COVID-19, and could be instrumental in preventing the spread of virus should similar situations arise in the future. The outcomes will set the stage for Phase II research that aims to further examine and improve on the efficacy of these innovative FPE, and integrate with advanced sensing techniques for continuously monitoring human health conditions such as fever, couching, and chills. Ultimately our research and prototypes will garner increased adoption among the general public and provide better protection, social connection, and communication for our health care professionals. Altogether, these innovative FPE can also fight against climate change and air pollution, for example, by protecting people from wildfire smoke hazards.