Injection Molded Autoclavable, Scalable, Conformable (iMASC) system for aerosol-based protection: a prospective single-arm feasibility study

Abstract

<jats:sec><jats:title>Objective</jats:title><jats:p>To develop and test a new reusable, sterilisable N95 filtering facepiece respirator (FFR)-comparable face mask, known as the Injection Molded Autoclavable, Scalable, Conformable (iMASC) system, given the dire need for personal protective equipment within healthcare settings during the COVID-19 pandemic.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Design</jats:title><jats:p>Single-arm feasibility study.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Setting</jats:title><jats:p>Emergency department and outpatient oncology clinic.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Participants</jats:title><jats:p>Healthcare workers who have previously undergone N95 fit testing.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Interventions</jats:title><jats:p>Fit testing of new iMASC system.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Primary and secondary outcome measures</jats:title><jats:p>Primary outcome is success of fit testing using an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)-approved testing method, and secondary outcomes are user experience with fit, breathability and filter replacement.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results</jats:title><jats:p>Twenty-four subjects were recruited to undergo fit testing, and the average age of subjects was 41 years (range of 21–65 years) with an average body mass index of 26.5 kg/m<jats:sup>2</jats:sup>. The breakdown of participants by profession was 46% nurses (n=11), 21% attending physicians (n=5), 21% resident physicians (n=5) and 12% technicians (n=3). Of these participants, four did not perform the fit testing due to the inability to detect saccharin solution on premask placement sensitivity test, lack of time and inability to place mask over hair. All participants (n=20) who performed the fit test were successfully fitted for the iMASC system using an OSHA-approved testing method. User experience with the iMASC system, as evaluated using a Likert scale with a score of 1 indicating excellent and a score of 5 indicating very poor, demonstrated an average fit score of 1.75, breathability of 1.6, and ease of replacing the filter on the mask was scored on average as 2.05.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusions</jats:title><jats:p>The iMASC system was shown to successfully fit multiple different face sizes and shapes using an OSHA-approved testing method. These data support further certification testing needed for use in the healthcare setting.</jats:p></jats:sec>

Reciprocal Personal/Public Protection for COVID-19 with Facepiece Discriminating Mouth and Nose

“…MDMN, featured with high efficiency protection, high degree comfort, easy wearing, tight-fitting, easy facial recognition & communication, reusability, cost-effective, environment friendly and scale manufacturing more readily and widely etc., is a simple and sustainable solution, the core principle behind MDMN is "less is more", while most of the innovations on mask for Covid-19 add something to it resulting more complexity [16,[118][119][120][121][122][123][124][125][126][127][128], MDMN try to get the mask with as less things as possible by focusing on the main function without any sacrifice, but only with significant improvement such as efficiency and comfortability, and simplify it to the great extent, which is essential for ordinary people to keep wearing it properly for protection.…”

Agile mobile robotic platform for contactless vital signs monitoring

“…These SpO2 levels yield to ⃗ vectors that are applied to equation (5). The resulting weight matrices are then used to compute corresponding pulse signals in equation (3). To get the SpO2 level, the signal quality of these pulse signals is examined.…”

“…Obtaining in-person vital signs raises several challenges in the COVID-19 pandemic. The use of standard cutaneous monitors requires the HCWs to closely interact with patients who are potentially infected with COVID-19 and puts them at risk of acquiring SARS-CoV-2 [2], [3]. Fluctuating supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE) may limit the availability of adequate PPE for HCWs obtaining vital signs.…”

Decontamination and Reuse of N95 Filtering Facepiece Respirators: Where Do We Stand?

“…High demand and potential shortages of respiratory protection devices are expected for months to years, 122 – 124 and novel airborne pathogens will emerge. The need for available, effective solutions has prompted an international plethora of prototypes including reusable injection molded 125 or 3-dimensional (3D) printable masks for filter inserts, 126 , 127 a self-disinfecting respirator, 128 nanopore membrane to cover FFR, 129 and 3D-printed frames to improve respirator fit or overcome broken straps. 130 , 131 The National Institute of Health hosts a website to share 3D printable PPE innovations 131 and a recent study documents easy, effective sterilization of 3D printable materials testing many organisms including SARS-CoV-2.…”