What is it?
It is concept and prototype of face shield with HEPA filter and air fan.
Why is it needed?
It may help in this pandemic situation by allowing people to interact on their work and necessary daily tasks.
Who is it for?
It is for people who have to be around other people and want to avoid getting infected by airborne viruses.
Like when shopping and visiting offices.
Or people in customer service, care work and cleaning.
Or in office or other team work.
How does it work?
Hypothesis is that that the battery powered fan blows HEPA-filtered air inside visor for person to inhale.
Exiting air flow from visor should also prevent inhaling air from the open sides. So exposure to possible virus in the air around person is reduced.
Visor also protects from fast flying droplets if somebody goughs your way.
However this is still just a concept and prototype. It would require some research and testing to confirm the usefulnes of the idea.
How is it made?
This prototype was made from parts and materials I had in our home.
HEPA filter for vacuum cleaner (This I bought.), Fan from old computer, Broken phone charger cable, Small power bank, Transparent clear film, Styrofoam, Film laminating machine, Laminating films, Computer, vector graphic program and printer, Nuts and bolts for the fan grill, Velcro tape, Insulation foam tape, Clear tape, Double sided tape, Glue, Fabric, Cable binding velcro
Also needed cutting and soldering tools
Where is the idea from?
Idea is originally from Industrial Design Bachelor Thesis by Daranee Lehtonen over 20 years ago.
She designed add-on for traffic police helmet in Thailand that, among some other things, filters air and blows it from the top of the visor. So that police in traffic duty can talk, blow the whistle, but will be able to inhale air purified from traffic pollution.
Picture is from prototype tested with police.
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How to develope idea?
There are many ways to do DYI versions of the concept. Smaller fan and airflow directed away from eyes would come to my mind after testing by myself.
For mass production, add on -product might be useful for existing face shields with foam structure. Filter with fan for exhaling might also be possible.
Though visor directs the exhalation towards users shirt and it can be used with facemask.
Filter could be positioned and protected from rain for outdoor usage.
Suitable UV-C led light could be mounted inside airflow channels to kill possible viruses that might be able to pass the HEPA-filter.
Fan and airflow could be designed with computer analysis and prototype testing to have optimal performance.
This idea could be used in many kind of hats and helmets. Due to my birch pollen allergy, I originally planned to make a cap that would filter pollen and blow purified air from the beak of the cap. I wanted to make it look like a normal hat, practical to use and look normal on other people eyes.
Question is could just filtered airflow without visor be enough to prevent exposure to airborne virus?
Here is this post in A4 PDF format: Face Shield with Hepa Filter and Fan Concept
Hopefully this could be somehow useful against this pandemic situation.
Tapio