Future Safe: Designing Efficient Face Masks in the Era of COVID 19

With the surreal times we are living in the context of Covid-19, wearing face masks has become a global public necessity. While many people are wearing face masks, not all masks are created equal. From very expensive high-tech respirators with multiple layers of filtration, to homemade face masks using less than ideal fabrics, the general public has become aware that covering their faces is a big factor that can reduce contagion. For the general public, effective face masks are difficult to breathe in, and those that let too much air flow are not effective. Our interdisciplinary research team from Engineering, Fine Arts and Arts and Science is aiming to design efficient face masks that without compromising comfort. The partnership unites strengths from Concordia’s Filtration Aerosol Laboratory, the Milieux Institute for Art, Culture and Technology and IRSST to follow three streams of inter-related research: Mask Design, Materials Exploration and Public Pedagogy.

Faculty Supervisor:

Ann-Louise Davidson

Student:

Partner:

IRSST

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Health and Related Sciences & Technology; Technology; Education; COVID-19 related Research and Solutions

University:

Concordia University

Program: