ViProtech PPE
intuitive PPE featuring moisture-detection and antiviral fabrics
In this design challenge, we were tasked with solving an issue faced by health workers that has either resulted from or was exascerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. We chosee to focus in on self- and cross- contamination that arises during donning/doffing. Our solution was ViProtech PPE Set , a PPE set with both small, physical modifications to make donning and doffing simpler, and major improvements such as biolayer faciliated color indication to alert HCWs if PPE is saturated, and antiviral silver treatments to make PPE self-cleaning and hence,reusable.
The Problem
The donning and doffing of personal protective equipment (PPE) is a major issue faced by healthcare workers (HCW). Commonly used PPE, such as gloves, are used so commonly that absent-minded errors may take place, which may materialize as deviations from donning and doffing protocol and self-contamination. Studies found that HCWs were susceptible to making mistakes even during PPE simulations where protocol and contamination were under scrutiny. A major result of this is accidental cross-contamination, which can drastically increase the transmission of infectious diseases. Not only does this affect healthcare providers, it also has serious repercussions for their families and for non-COVID-19 patients. An optimal solution to this problem will allow for ease of use, minimal cross-contamination, and incorporate cues that encourage vigilant donning and doffing. This will ultimately benefit all stakeholders, which includes medical professionals and the general public.
It’s very time consuming to put everything on, and you have to make sure it’s done right. It takes up time that you should be using to respond to an emergency. When somebody needs to be intubated, we’re usually called upon when the patient is already dying.
Dr. Ernesto Gidaya
Anaesthesiologist
ViProtech Fabric
A key component to our solution is our Viprotech fabric. The fabric is multilayered, and as a result has a variety of differentt capabilities.
- Bottom layer is closest to the skin, and so will be lightweight, sweat-wicking, and breathable
- Middle layer is treated with an antiviral silver or copper fabric treatment. One idea udner consideration is using the HeiQ Viroblock for this purpose. This layer will serve tto kill COVID molecules, making PPE safe for use between patients without need for donning/doffing.
- Top layer is a biohybrid film which will take advantage of dormant bacillus spores to detect the humidity and moisture saturation of the PPE, hence showing its efficacy and alterting HCWs if it is necessary to change their PPE.
The PPE Set
The decision to design an entire set was done so as to have control over all aspects of the PPE, from donning, to wearing, to doffing, and any potential reuse or eventual waste.
Each item in the PPE set is numbered in the order of donning as per CDC guidelines, in order to provide an intuitivee reminder of the order in which steps take place.
Gloves
The gloves of our set are essentially standard, however they feature ViProtech tabs to allow for safe, easy, intuitive removal of gloves without concern for touching their contaminated exterior.
Isolation Gown
Our gown is made to be reusable, and only donned/doffed at the beginning of one's shift. Features include:
- Constrasting colors between inside/outside — making it easier to only make contact with non-contaminated interior of gown.
- ViProtech panelling strategically placed in high-risk zones to decrease material cost while increasing HCW safety
- Side velcro closure to improve ease and abillity to dom/doff quickly (as opposed to existing tie back closures in current isolation gowns).
- Elastic sleeves to further decrease risk of contamination.
Mask
Surveying our users, we found that there was immense dissatisfaction with the comfort of current N-95 masks, and concern for waste. However, given that masks protect from the inhalation of droplets, it was also important for us to ensure that our mask was highly effective. Features include:
- Face-hugging silicone lining — similar to scuba masks, this would ensure a generic, moldable, comfortable fit.
- Replaceable ViProtech filters — can be washed and re-treated to minimize waste while still indicating when replacement is needed and remaining antiviral
- Transparent body for facial visbility
- Adjustable elastic straps for improved fit.