3 ms·

I think that a more interesting approach is enhancing the fit of the mask to the face. Apart from improved protection, a better fit means that water vapor from

by nsajko 6y ago

I think that a more interesting approach is enhancing the fit of the mask to the face. Apart from improved protection, a better fit means that water vapor from one's body doesn't fog up one's glasses! One of the references of this paper is exactly about that, with photographs of example setups ("Figure 2"): https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2774266 https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullar... The "mask fitter"/"badger seal" project already received some attention on HN: https://making.engr.wisc.edu/mask-fitter/ https://making.engr.wisc.edu/mask-fitter/ https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1bTUmxEiZ_EMo9DYjHWl13rarzPwKDukUQhRj-gxJxfM https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1bTUmxEiZ_EMo9DYjHWl1... Personally, I used a bit of polycaprolactone to form a hard plastic part that is formed on the nose and on each cheek and which: 1. can push the mask against my face, while its shape conforms to the face, so that it pushes on the surface of the face relatively evenly 2. features protrusions (on the cheek-parts of the plastic) onto which something like a string can be put so that it (the string) goes behind the head and beneath the chin. This string then fixes the plastic piece (and the mask) in place. Polycaprolactone is a plastic which softens at around 60 degrees Celsius, at which point it is possible to mold/form it by hand (skin contact is safe, and it's safe to let it harden on one's skin). Also, it's biodegradable and relatively cheap: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polycaprolactone https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polycaprolactone The main problem with designing something like this is how not to make yourself look absurdly ugly while wearing it on top of the mask ;)

mindslight 6y ago
If you compare a P100 to a P95 mask, the first thing you'll notice is the fitment. P100 are designed to actually fit your face, and fitment tests are a part of proper deployment. I've been wearing a 3M 7503 the whole pandemic, modded to remove the check valves. It fits much more comfortably than any N95 junk (no crap behind my ears, no tight elastic on my head, etc), which is why I had originally gotten it for work around the house. I can easily tell if it's sitting a bit weird on my face and is leaking because it feels different on my skin. In addition to being P100, I like it because it doesn't fog up my glasses. The biggest issue is that I'll tend to get condensation on the inside of the mask, and wearing it for long periods it will start to pool. I'll get condensation on an unmodded 7503 as well though (although it will be outside the outflow valve and drip on the ground), which is probably a consequence of having a higher thermal mass than mere filter material like an N95. It's a tragedy that we're still stuck in the PPE dark ages over a year into the pandemic, with "insights" like stacking two junk masks to increase their effectiveness. Herds of people are never intelligent, but if one political team hadn't hitched their wagon to personal irresponsbility, I think we could have been having much more productive conversations.
- Scoundreller 6y ago
  Ditto on the masks situation. We somehow stagnated at “wear any mask made out of anything”, without incremental improvements as supply has improved. At the other extreme, I’m surprised I haven’t seen anyone wearing scuba gear yet.
  - Balgair 6y ago
    > I’m surprised I haven’t seen anyone wearing scuba gear yet. Oh man, we researched that early on in the Pandemic. I was part of a team with a local hospital that was looking for any and all solutions. The big issue was weight, followed by the time you could be tanked, and then the cleaning issue. The overall conclusion was that they weren't worth it and just sterilizing masks again was better.
- Exmoor 6y ago
  I wish I could blame the lack of reasonable mask guidance on the previous administration, but last I checked the official CDC guidance was that they'd rather have the general public tie the tattered remnants of their Def Leopard Hystaria tour t-shirt over their face than an FDA approved K/N95 mask. We've had a good supply of masks available for many months (Although you have to be careful about your supply chain). Of the many, many unforced errors of this pandemic, this may be the most baffling to me.

by nsajko 6y ago

mindslight 6y ago

If you compare a P100 to a P95 mask, the first thing you'll notice is the fitment. P100 are designed to actually fit your face, and fitment tests are a part of proper deployment. I've been wearing a 3M 7503 the whole pandemic, modded to remove the check valves. It fits much more comfortably than any N95 junk (no crap behind my ears, no tight elastic on my head, etc), which is why I had originally gotten it for work around the house. I can easily tell if it's sitting a bit weird on my face and is leaking because it feels different on my skin. In addition to being P100, I like it because it doesn't fog up my glasses. The biggest issue is that I'll tend to get condensation on the inside of the mask, and wearing it for long periods it will start to pool. I'll get condensation on an unmodded 7503 as well though (although it will be outside the outflow valve and drip on the ground), which is probably a consequence of having a higher thermal mass than mere filter material like an N95. It's a tragedy that we're still stuck in the PPE dark ages over a year into the pandemic, with "insights" like stacking two junk masks to increase their effectiveness. Herds of people are never intelligent, but if one political team hadn't hitched their wagon to personal irresponsbility, I think we could have been having much more productive conversations.

Scoundreller 6y ago
Ditto on the masks situation. We somehow stagnated at “wear any mask made out of anything”, without incremental improvements as supply has improved. At the other extreme, I’m surprised I haven’t seen anyone wearing scuba gear yet.
- Balgair 6y ago
  > I’m surprised I haven’t seen anyone wearing scuba gear yet. Oh man, we researched that early on in the Pandemic. I was part of a team with a local hospital that was looking for any and all solutions. The big issue was weight, followed by the time you could be tanked, and then the cleaning issue. The overall conclusion was that they weren't worth it and just sterilizing masks again was better.
Exmoor 6y ago
I wish I could blame the lack of reasonable mask guidance on the previous administration, but last I checked the official CDC guidance was that they'd rather have the general public tie the tattered remnants of their Def Leopard Hystaria tour t-shirt over their face than an FDA approved K/N95 mask. We've had a good supply of masks available for many months (Although you have to be careful about your supply chain). Of the many, many unforced errors of this pandemic, this may be the most baffling to me.