High tech masks are coming

[Roger Feeley]

I’m going to go out on a limb and predict that masks are going to be with us for a very long time. Not as a mandate but a socially acceptable choice.

Given that, it’s only natural that entrepreneurs will step into the mask space and try to make money.
check this out:
https://www.civility-mask.com/

If I was those guys, I would be sending a case to every nfl team in the playoffs.

[Myk Rian]

Trouble with those are the air vents, which make wearing a mask meaningless.

[Brian Tymchak]

There is an XPrize contest for mask design - https://www.xprize.org/challenge/nextgenmask

I think the winner was to be announced at EOY 2020 but I don't see it on the site.

[David Bassett]

Trouble with those are the air vents, which make wearing a mask meaningless.

Their website says no valves, so those must be filters or something.

Still with it in crowd funding state, or maybe just after, I'm not sure I'm ready to bank on it yet. (Or on the longer term availability of replacement filters.)

[Brian Elfert]

Trouble with those are the air vents, which make wearing a mask meaningless.

Those are filters, not valves.

I don't see why this design has attracted a lot of initial orders. It looks like a CPAP mask without a hose. It looks so big and bulky.

[Brian Elfert]

The filters appear to just be a round circle of filter cloth so you could make your own.

[David Bassett]

The filters appear to just be a round circle of filter cloth so you could make your own.

I'd hope better than homemade filters would be available, say at least N95 equivalent.

I would love something that was more comfortable, more protective, readily available, and not disposable to become available. Not sure this is what I'm hoping for, but, if not, at least it is someone trying.

[Brian Elfert]

I'd hope better than homemade filters would be available, say at least N95 equivalent.

The homemade filters thing was just a response to what happens if the company goes under so filters are no longer available. It would almost certainly be better to buy commercially made filters.

I notice the manufacturer doesn't really say a whole lot about the filter efficiency. I assume to claim N95 you have to have testing done.

[Lee Schierer]

I noted several things. They claim the mask is certified, but don't say to what standard or by whom. The filters are proprietary so you are stuck buying them from the factory for an additional 10 euros per month.

Here is more information on the filters:
CIVILITY UNS1 disposable filters have :
- a filtration rate at 3µm: 100%.
- a filtration rate at 1µm: 100%.
- high permeability at 100 Pa: 1040 (L./m-2.s-1)
- a maximum usage time of 8 hours
- a recommended duration of 4 hours
- 60 filters: 100% polyester
- a single use

CIVILITY UNS1 washable filters have :
- a filtration rate at 3µm: 97%.
- a filtration rate at 1µm: 96%.
- high permeability at 100 Pa: 910 (L./m-2.s-1)
- a maximum usage time of 8 hours
- a recommended duration of 4 hours
- 20 filters: 100% polyester
- washable 10 times : 30min in the washing machine at 140°F, dry it and iron it (230°F)

[David Bassett]

... I assume to claim N95 you have to have testing done.

Yes. There is a long list of specifications, not just related to what the filter will pass, but mask fit, exhale resistance, flow rate, and more. I'm not sure if they need to be tested by independent labs though. KN95 has approximately the same specs, a little tighter here and a little looser there, and is the Chinese spec. Someone posted a table with those two and the Japanese, European, and maybe a couple other standards. If I had a factory, I'd want to meet the commonality of all those specs and then it'd just be labeling as to which market you could sell into.

An example of not meeting the full spec is the RZ Mask filters. They publish their own test data and claim it's equivalent and we seem to mostly trust them. (They've told me, and others, they are working on getting the official certification. But given it's been years and still no certification, I can't believe they really are worried about it.)

[David Bassett]

... Here is more information on the filters...

Thanks Lee! (Now if only I really understood what that meant to me in practice. I do understand proprietary and that's a minus though.)

[Lee DeRaud]

Still with it in crowd funding state, or maybe just after, I'm not sure I'm ready to bank on it yet. (Or on the longer term availability of replacement filters.)It's made in France, which I suspect will make it a non-starter in some demographics. :)

[Andrew Joiner]

2 small filters might be very restrictive if they're N95. Won't they fog up?

A comfortable, effective and attractive mask design is a challenge. I like KN95 masks. They're protective and low cost.

[Kev Williams]

google 'virus/germ killing mask', lots of ideas in play...

[Bill Dufour]

If it is made in France many will think it is fashionable.
Bill D.

[Erik Loza]

If it is made in France many will think it is fashionable.
Bill D.

Bill, you must be thinking of Italy. :D

Erik

[Bill Dufour]

Bill, you must be thinking of Italy. :D

Erik


No France has designers. I have heard of more then half of the ones listed here. I did think Chanel was American. Maybe they could make it look like the Eiffel tower hanging on your face.
Bill D.

https://leoncechenal.com/french-fashion-designers/

https://www.amazon.com/Funny-Activated-carbon-Facial-decorations-adults-filters/dp/B08HVM6CLR (https://leoncechenal.com/french-fashion-designers/)

[Erik Loza]

Seriously, though: I'd be all in favor of some new mask design. I've tried a bunch and every one fogs up my glasses. Some more, some less, but they all do.

Erik

[Bill Dufour]

In the movies all the masks for virus doctors, spacemen etc have lights inside inside shining in their eyes so we can see their faces. Some even have lights outside so the wearer can see stuff outside the visor.
Bill D.

[Rob Damon]

Now if they could just develop a mask that let's you chew and spit tobacco out of, that would be a real winner.
I have several co-workers that chew that have had to reduce the chew tobacco habit because of the masks.
I am sure they would be willing to spend a small fortune for one....:D:D
It is a wide open market for somebody to make a killing with a mask with a spit channel/flap........

[Roger Feeley]

The filters just looked like round patches of non-woven polyester filter material. You can get that stuff by the yard at www.filti.com. I bought a couple of yards when I was making masks for family and friends. My masks were two layers of the flimsiest fabric I could find with a piece of the Filti filter in between doing the actual filtering. Throw away the insert and wash the mask for re-use.

[George Gibson]

Wow ! That's really awesome.

[Malcolm McLeod]

So, in light of new rules, these, uhm, 'clearly' MUST be for ...you know... sawdust. Right? Or pollen. And I'll have to cut waaaay back on my bank robberies. Of course.

I can still stockpile my own no matter who is the Leader ...no not that one; the Real one, ...you know... the WIFE.