The fourth semester, in cooperation with Dräger, focuses on creative approaches to reducing costs and making products more efficient.
4. Semester Ba
Project Duration 14 Weeks
Muthesius Kunsthochschule
a mask that fits everybody?
Influenced by my research into inflatable structures, I ultimately developed a product that explores an alternative method for sealing a half mask. This raised the question of whether it would be possible to offer a single, universal size instead of three different sizes, in order to reduce costs efficiently. For the mask, an inflatable seal was therefore developed to replace a conventional silicone seal.
The mask's principle is based on the fact that inhaling and exhaling cause the mask to seal more tightly. Inhalation is regulated by a typical rubber membrane in such a way that air is drawn in through the filter but cannot be exhaled back through it. The air that is exhaled is directed into the air cushion. A second, rubber-band-like seal ensures that the air does not escape from the air cushion, maintaining a constant pressure.
Replacing the otherwise standard silicone seal yields two key cost-saving benefits. First, packing size and weight are significantly reduced; more important, however, is the high degree of fit. This way, a single model can accommodate many different faces, meaning many different fits or variants of a mask no longer need to be sold. This mask fits everyone.
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Arved Kappelhoff
