A New York City-based startup Shao Pacific Management LLC has come up with a novel idea to replace face masks – wearable filtration.
We need air to sustain and refresh ourselves. It is the single most important thing we consume. However, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), 90 percent of the people in this world breathe unhealthy air.
The Filtration Wearable Project aims to ensure the air we breathe is pure, effortless, and free of irritants — no matter where our day takes us.
Wearable devices for health have been gaining ground. NYU scientists recently invented an MRI Glove that provides new viewpoint to hand anatomy, and a team of UK scientists developed a sweat-based wearable sensor that may replace blood tests.
How does the wearable filtration work?
The wearable breathing device delivers clean air with a tight but comfortable seal around your nose. It works like a conventional mask, but is packaged differently. When you breathe in, you inhale filtered air. The filter is made of nonwoven fabric (made in the US) supported on a flexible scaffold. Currently, the fabric filtration efficiency is >95% for PM2.5, and there’s no battery or fan involved.
About Paul Shen
Paul Shen is the design engineer behind this project. He was originally trained as an electrical engineer at Stanford University and then began attending medical school at Indiana University. Paul did clinical rotations in pulmonology where he saw firsthand how people suffer when they aren’t able to breathe.
Pollution is a major contributor to airway pathology, second only to smoking. It has reached crisis levels in the developing world, including much of China and India. Even western cities like London, Paris, Los Angeles and Salt Lake City suffer from serious air pollution.
Paul says they have a functional design prototype and are in position to start manufacturing via injection molding.
What are the disadvantages?
The biggest problem isn’t technical, but new fashion. New fashion can be polarizing.
The nose piece sits below the nostrils and forms a comfortable seal for most people. However, if your nose is too big or too small, you may not have a perfect seal. The company is working on it so that it can accommodate all people.
Delay with manufacturing. The company is doing its best to ensure production and quality control are up to pace, but unexpected delay can come up.
The finished product
The device will come in different colors and finishes for the body and the nose piece. The company welcomes your suggestions and feedbacks, and is also looking for a good brand name and logo.
