Researchers Create Reusable Mask That Is As Effective As N95 Respirators

A team of researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston developed a reusable mask that provides the same amount of protection as N95 respirator masks. The masks, known as iMASCs, are made with a silicone rubber that can be sterilized after each use and contain two replaceable filters.

"With this design, the filters can be popped in and then thrown away after use, and you're throwing away a lot less material than an N95 mask," Adam Wentworth, a research engineer at Brigham and Women's Hospital said.

The new masks could be a game-changer as hospitals are struggling to maintain a supply of N95 masks, which are capable of filtering 95% of airborne particles but are not meant to be reused. Because they are in short supply due to the coronavirus pandemic, many healthcare workers have been forced to sterilize and reuse the masks, potentially putting themselves and patients at risk of infection. 

The masks are not quite ready to be sent out to hospitals. The researchers are still testing them to ensure they can filter out viral particles like the coronavirus. They have also made some tweaks to the original design to make the masks more comfortable.

"This iMASC 2.0 allows patients to see more of their provider's lips and facial expressions," Dr. Giovanni Traverso said. "This may help improve clinical interactions between patients and providers. The feature also gives patients with a hearing impairment the ability to read lips."

They hope to have the masks available by the end of the year.

"We know that COVID is really not going away until a vaccine is prevalent," James Byrne, a radiation oncologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital, said. "I think there's always going to be a need for masks, whether it be in the health care setting or in the general public."

Photo: MIT