EXISTING FACE SHIELD MODEL: IMPA 331144 Face Shield

Face shields are personal protective equipment devices that are used by many workers

(e.g., medical, dental, veterinary) for protection of the facial area and associated mucous

membranes (eyes, nose, mouth) from splashes, sprays, and spatter of body fluids. Face

shields are generally not used alone, but in conjunction with other protective equipment

(protective facemasks, goggles, etc.) and are therefore classified as adjunctive personal

protective equipment because aerosols can flow behind the visor. Recent outbreaks of

serious airborne infectious diseases and severe infectious agents associated with the

potential for body fluid exposures have resulted in increased attention to face/eye

protection.

There is currently no universal standard for face/eye protection from biological hazards.

Little is known about the effectiveness of face shields in preventing the transmission of viral

respiratory diseases, due to the lack of a peripheral fit. Clearly, there is a need for further

research into the protection from infectious airborne pathogens, splashes or splatters

afforded by face shields either worn alone or in conjunction with other PPE worn

simultaneously.
 The inspiration of the design comes from the common type full face shield/respirator,

they are unchanged in their component arrangement since a while, maybe decades. They

consist of a small visor, an inner mask and an outer mask to keep exhaled air from the visor

to prevent fog. Both the filter and the outlet valve are always at the bottom of the mask.

Additionally they always have a complicated strap system, to keep them in position on the

head. To our research, no user actually likes to wear a gas mask/respirator. So, questioning

these circumstances and creating something more user-centered was long overdue.

The design of the Polycarbonated N-Gen Mask has these components:

POLYCARBONATED N-GEN FACE SHIELD

PARTS FUNCTION
Polycarbonated Visor This fully protects the whole face from droplets and etc.
Lightweight PVC Material To cover the facial sides entirely and to provide a sturdy
frame for the entire mask.
Filters (at the top and chin area) To protect the wearer from inhaling airborne
 contaminants such as dusts, fumes, vapors, and
infectious agents associated with inhaling small and large
particle droplets.
Airhole For a continous airflow.
Rubber Seperates the viewing and breathing area for a clearer
visibility.
Shenzen Lesome WTX-5402 Makes the voice quality clear and loud.
Attachable Speaker

This face shield has a fully transparent front by rearranging the components of a full

face respirator. The N-Gen face shield was created for frontliners, health care workers, and

the people in general who use masks daily to fight against the virus, but that doesn’t only

limit there, this PPE can also be used to professional varnishers, painters and the people

who deals with gases or chemicals.

Face shields with single elastic straps tend to be easiest to don and doff; doffing can be

accomplished with a single hand. In order to be efficacious, the adjustment of the strap is
easy and needs to be tightened only once, face shields must fit snugly to afford a good seal

to the facial area and also to prevent slippage of the device.

Visors manufactured from polycarbonate offer improved visual clarity and optical

quality with the potential for less eye strain. Face shields should be selected that have visors

treated for anti-glare, anti-static, and anti-fogging properties. For improved protection from

infectious agents, face shields should be, at a minimum, full face length with outer edges of

the face shield reaching at least to the point of the ear, include chin and forehead

protectors.
 Inspired by a smoke mask speaker. This attachable speaker makes the tone and voice

quality of the person clear and loud. This increases the secluded voice to three (3) decibels,

enough for a person to hear clearly. The speaker is totally chargeable and has a switch

located at the lower right of the portion of the shield to turn on/off when needed.

The designing process of the mask included many reading and analysing the behaviour

of people with face shields and gas masks. Many non-health workers avoid using face

shields and health workers doesn’t prefer using full face respirators whilst working, which is

a real health risk. The aversion comes from the small viewing area, the bulkiness of the mask
that causes strain after long use, and the poor usability when adjusting the unwieldly straps.

We analysed the components of other masks and tried to figure out, why they are the way

they are. The air comes from the bottom of the filter, only to be sucked in first to the

viewing area to “clean” the visor with fresh air to keep it free from fogging. Afterwards, the

air gets sucked through a small valve into the inner mask where it gets inhaled and then

exhaled through a valve at the chin. Our question was, if the air first interacts at the visor,

which is at the top of the mask, why does it come from the bottom? We created ideas on

how to rearrange the filter, so that the mouth area could be transparent. We produced

sketches, to fine tune this new approach which changes the classic archetype of a face

shield and respirator as we see it today. Through those lots of brainstorming, N-GEN

Polycarbonataed Face Shield was made.

In the N-GEN design, the filter is now located at the top of the mask and thereby frees

the users face with a transparent mouth section. The air flow is now guided in a linear

stream from the top of the mask, where the air first interacts with the visor to keep it free

from fogging. The air then flows through an air hole in a divider (the rubber) between the

eyes and mouth area. Afterwards the air is exhaled through the outlet valve or filter located

at the chin, thus no exhaled air comes into contact with the visor‘s viewing area. This

arrangement optimizes the air flow and drastically changes the aesthectics and the

archetype of a respirator. The fully transparent front and compact design increase

communication ability, comfort and acceptance for the users. Additionally, the decreased

volume of the mask reduces the risk of accidentally lifting the mask from the users face.
 HEAD ANTHROPOMETIC MEASUREMNTS

A reliable face fit, comfort and ability to communicate depends on the design of the

mask. The aim of the anthropometric measurements is for us to build an algorithm for

designing the mask with fine insulation properties for workers.

In order to deliver on a primary target, we used the data of the research by well-known

American neuroscientist Mark S. Cohen M.D. who considered the following facial

measurements to be the most important: Bitragion breadth and Menton-crinion length for

the frame of the face shield, Face length (menton-sellion) for the placement of the rubber,

Menton-subnasale length for the attachable speaker together with the filter placed in the

chin, and Head length for the length of the strap to create a perfect fit.
 Percentile (centimetres)
Measurement Description Gender
1st 5th 50th 95th 99th
The breadth of the head
from the right tragion to Men 13.1 13.5 14.5 15.5 15.9

A Bitragion breadth the left. Tragion is the

cartilaginous notch at the
Women 12.5 12.8 13.3 14.3 15.0
front of the ear.

The vertical distance from

Men 16.6 17.4 19.1 20.9 21.6
the bottom of the chin
Menton-crinion
B
length (menton) to the midpoint of
Women 15.5 16.1 17.7 19.2 19.9
the hairline (crinion).

The vertical distance from

the tip of the chin (menton) Men 10.8 11.2 12.2 13.3 13.7
Face length to the deepest point of the
C
(menton-sellion)
nasal root depression
Women 10.1 10.4 11.3 12.4 12.9
between the eyes (sellion).

The distance from the

Men 6.1 6.5 7.3 8.3 8.7
bottom of the chin
Menton-subnasale
D
length (menton) to the base of the
nasal septum (subnasale). Women 5.7 6.0 6.5 7.8 8.3

The maximum length of the

head; measured from the Men 18.0 18.5 19.7 20.9 21.3
most anterior point of the
E Head length
forehead between the brow
ridges (glabella) to the back Women 17.2 17.6 18.7 19.8 20.2
of the head (occiput).
 These dimensions are used in designing devices applied in the facial area. This helped to

design the N-GEN mask which now allow for more comfortable fit and disables suction of air

thus decreasing possible contamination.

The face shield should cover the forehead, extend below the chin, and wrap around the

side of the face. In choosing which percentile to use for the design we kuan the 5th, 50th,

95th percentile of both male and female to chuchu the kuan hahaha,idkpo….
 The recommended PPE donning and doffing sequence for a face shield in healthcare

settings should be followed (donning is sequence in putting on an item [PPE]; the doffing

sequence is the reverse) keeping in mind that it may vary according to the equipment

needed for the particular hazard.

N-Gen face shield is different from the others because it is the first full face filter

respirator, that has a fully transparent front. The divider between breathing and viewing

area makes sure the visor stays free from fog and assures that there is no trade-off in

functionality. The airflow is shorter than nowadays concepts, and might result in a lowered

breathing resistance. The transparent front drastically increases comfort and acceptance by

the users as well as improves verbal communication. The filter with its handle is

exchangeable and the air intake is protected, too.