With more than 32,000 reported cases, the COVID-19 pandemic is getting worse and India is struggling to fight the same.
It’s been more than a month that the country has been under lockdown and people are adapting to novel ways to live their lives. The government is appealing to people to come up with innovative ideas that could help in controlling the pandemic.
Considering the same, a school going girl from West Bengal has come up with the idea of a ‘wonder mask’ that can be a potential game-changer in controlling the spread of the virus.
You Heard It Right
Digantika Bose, an 11th standard student of Smriti Vidyamandir Institution at Memari in Burdwan has designed a mask that can be effective in controlling the spread of the virus.
The 17-year old girl from West Bengal has been keen on science and innovation since a very young age. She has won accolades in various science-related competitions in the past and also holds a patent in her name.
The idea of designing such a mask struck her during the early days of lockdown. Troubled by the idea of seeing people wear ordinary masks and roaming around, she decided to develop something effective that could stop the spread of the virus.
Bose says that she was able to design the virus destroying mask in 7 days.
After doing extensive research over the same and turning her room into a mini-laboratory, she started working on the prototype. Once her design was complete, she submitted it as an entry in the Challenge COVID-19 Competition (C3) organized by the National Innovation Foundation (NIF).
Her hard work paid off as her design was shortlisted by the authorities and she was asked if her design could be converted into a workable product and distributed amongst the masses. Bose readily agreed to the proposal and was overwhelmed by the same.
What Is The Speciality Of This Mask?
The mask is made up of 3 layers and is divided into two parts. The first layer has an electron filter which filters the entry of dust particles. The second layer has two face valves for breathing purposes and the third layer has a two-piece 30 mL sized base which is filled by a chemical.
The special feature of this mask is that it will destroy the lipid proteins of the virus by stopping dust particles, water mites, etc. and convert them into fresh air. The clean air will be entering the patient’s lungs with the help of a one-way valve (second layer), thus stopping the entry of the virus.
Further explaining her design, Bose says, “When a COVID-19 patient exhales or sneezes, the droplets containing Coronavirus coming out of his lungs will pass through the other one-way valve linked to another chamber and get trapped and its lipid-protein cover will be destroyed immediately.”
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In this way, the mask ensures that the droplets or air exhaled by a COVID-19 patient is free from the virus as the virus already gets destroyed in the reservoir and only clean air is exhaled out.
What Do The Authorities Say?
The authorities have approved the design for this wonder mask and have given due appreciation to its designer.
The National Innovation Foundation (NIF), a Ministry of Science and Technology venture has taken the initiative of strengthening technological development at the grassroots. NIF declared that the virus destroying mask is an innovative idea that the nation is looking forward to during this Covid-19 outbreak.
The Union Ministry of Technology has also approved the design of the wonder mask and has permitted to create workable models of the same. It is anticipated that the mask will be out in the market very soon.
The wonder mask seems to be a promising innovation and might be a milestone invention in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
The fact that the idea comes from the mind of a 17-year-old ordinary school girl is even more fascinating.
Image Credits: Google Images
Sources: Indian Express, India Today, India Times
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