3D-Printing Masks for COVID
My Mask Movement
3D-printing custom-fit masks for frontline workers during COVID-19.
Traditional mask manufacturing biases towards Caucasian male facial structures. During the COVID-19 PPE shortage crisis, it was imperative that frontline workers and immuno-compromised people not only get access to masks, but also find masks that fit their faces perfectly. My Mask Movement is a project I helped build that utilizes depth-sensing tech to accurately fit mask models to any facial structure.
Our initial group of testers included doctors and nurses at Stanford and Boston hospitals.
I designed the first version of the app for iOS. Here are some of the early sketches and mockups.
In the beginning, we bootstrapped the printing by crowdsourcing 3D printers from individuals on Twitter. After we gained traction, we partnered up with industrial manufacturers to scale our production at cost.
Our team consisted of all volunteers ranging from college students to retired medical workers. We worked on this project initially on our own time, balancing work and family duties. I left My Mask Movement due to personal commitments after the first 3 months after we already began printing at scale. Now, the team is planning on launching the first FDA-approved 3D-printed PPE mask with higher filtering efficacy as traditional masks!
