(Seeking testing and approvals. For personal use, non medical use)
Three facts stand out:
1. Covid19 virus stays in the air longer than we thought, and aerosol transmission is possible. We need masks.
2. The Covid19 virus is approx 0.125 micron in size, but is transmitted via droplets, and aerosol. The CDC recommendation of using cotton T shirts or pillow cases is not adequate since cotton is permeable, and the porosity is a bit more than required. We need a smarter mask.
3. Current DIY mask designs require access to a sewing machine,which is not possible for the truly poor. A borrowed needle, some thread, and cheap discarded cloth (the material matters, read the note) are possible.
The Three Principles of the Apnamask are:
1. Meets the standards of current *science* and available research
2. *Access* to materials
3. *Ease* of making
or, more succinctly: Simpler, Faster, Better.
This is trying to be a DIY mask for non medical use, to ease the pressure on supply pipelines, and to enable the poor the same level of safety afforded to the rich. The design that now seeks lab testing and approval from the authorities. Please read the note for the reasoning and design.
Many people were consulted, and have contributed to the design including textile engineers, doctors, nano materials specialists, designers, artists, writers, teachers, researchers and of course pragmatic housewives, CSR gurus, and public health specialists. At least one of each. Their contribution is acknowledged, and shall be named when I get permission from them to do so.
I believe this should be an open source design – let’s test it, have it authorised, and then share it to do good.
Meeta W Sengupta 