N95 masks — they’re so hot right now. So hot, in fact, that a University of Saskatchewan group is working to supplement the increased demand for the medical-grade respirators during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The team of engineering students and professors is developing a reusable, 3D-printed alternative to N95s, which help protect health-care workers by filtering at least 95 per cent of airborne particles. “We’re trying to replicate what an N95 mask can do protection-wise, but in terms of how it’s constructed, not necessarily,” mechanical engineering graduate student Erik Olson told Global News.
The prototype is made of tough plastic, which presents a challenge when it comes to sealing to people’s faces. “What we’re looking at is … ‘Okay, how