More than a year into the pandemic, we’ve seen a wide variety of masks, from completely unsafe fashion items to RGB nightmares, not to mention a bunch of other stylish options. But if you think you have an idea for a better mask that more people might want to wear, the US Government’s Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) has announced a competition to design ‘next generation masks’ – with a potential The total prize pool of $ 500,000 awaits the winners.
The Mask Innovation Challenge was created in collaboration with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH, an organization under the CDC) to address some of the common complaints directed at masks, such as the fact that it is a can remove glasses, irritate your skin, become uncomfortable to wear, get in the way of communication and possibly allow COVID-19 particles to penetrate through the sides.
The game will consist of two phases. The first phase, focused on ‘design’, is divided into two sections, one considering redesign of existing masks, and another focusing on new technologies and materials. Submissions are supposed to include actual schemes for building the proposed masks, which according to NIOSH could also be tested in the future. Phase one will yield up to ten winners, each receiving $ 10,000 to help build a prototype of their masks.
The second ‘proof-of-concept’ phase will require participants to respond to a hypothetical scenario with a brand new mask design, not based on any existing mask. Phase two participants will submit physical prototypes of their masks for NIOSH to test. Up to five Phase Two winners will share a total prize pool of $ 400,000. NIOSH and BARDA say more details about the second phase will be available later.
Holding a design contest to find a ‘better’ mask can yield some real solutions, but beyond that I think it reflects the increasing role that masks can play in our lives, even after a majority of people have been vaccinated. And that does not mean that the masks you already own are not effective; they are. There are really multiple problems in eliminating mask use; complaints in mask design is one direction but another major issue is availability. Mask manufacturers are still unable to meet the demand throughout.
For example, it is still not as easy as getting N95s and KN95s, two masks that are frequently recommended, which provide an improvement in filtration of cloth varieties. Many also play here; the long-term consequences of the manufacture of offshoring of medical supplies affected the availability but also the shortage of the main materials for the manufacture of mask such as meltblown textiles. There is also the separate edition of fake masks. According to the CDC, about 60 percent of the KN95s in the US are not as effective at filtering COVID-19 particles as their labels may indicate.
The Biden government has put plans in place to force the creation of essential pandemic supplies and alleviate some of these issues, but it is important to remember that building a better mask is just one facet of a much larger strategy. . There is no guarantee that more people will wear the winning masks just because they do not dim their glasses.
The deadline for the first phase of the Mask Innovation Challenge is April 21st.