Dr. Hugh Sims approached Arbuckle about this project in late March. Sims, an ENT-otolaryngologist at the Medical Center in Bowling Green, was inspired by similar efforts to convert scuba masks into PPE for hospital staff in Italy. He requested Arbuckle’s assistance in prototyping a 3D attachment to connect the filter and scuba mask. By converting these scuba masks, healthcare workers would have a reusable mask that provides full-face coverage. "We want to try and provide PPE that will stop the spread between frontline healthcare workers and patients," Arbuckle said.
After creating and printing the prototype, Arbuckle’s next step was to ensure the mask and PAPR unit would work with a saccharin fit test. This test determines if the mask will keep out particles.
Arbuckle and Sims plan to release the schematic file for this adaptor online and make it available for hospitals and other medical facilities across the country. So far, Arbuckle has produced eight masks that successfully passed a saccharin test. "We want to open source the drawing to allow as many people to print these adaptors as possible," Arbuckle said.
