ADF mask
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic presented European hospitals with chronic shortages of personal protective equipment such as surgical masks and respirator masks. In response to this crisis, our research group was tasked with emergency production of FFP2 and FFP3 masks. The project involved developing a two-panel and three-panel folding facepiece respirator design, sourcing materials, conducting performance testing, and analyzing the folding facepiece respirator assembly process. Our efforts culminated in the formation of Medimundi, a spin-off company established by the University of Antwerp and Cartamundi, which now produces face masks on a large scale in Belgium.
As a member of the team, my primary responsibility was to validate the mask design. This involved verifying the filter performance in a medical setting and conducting both quantitative and qualitative evaluations of the mask’s fit in indoor environments. Additionally, I also performed initial tests on other available solutions, such as a decathlon scuba mask with a filter and a 3D-printed connector, as well as government-purchased masks.
Team:
Marieke Van Camp
Jochen Vleugels
Robin Vandormael
Thomas Peeters
Sander Van Goethem
Andres Vanhooydonck
Joren Van Loon
Stokhuijzen Drim
Sam Smedts
Stijn Verwulgen
Jouke Verlinden
Regan Watts
Date: 2020