21st century health threats are ever evolving and require similarly adaptable solutions. From wildfire smoke, pollution in large cities, to disease-causing infectious biological aerosols (e.g., influenza virus), the general public needs effective solutions to prevent adverse health consequences associated with airborne exposures. Many of these exposures are not mutually exclusive, and some individuals may be exposed to multiple types of airborne hazards, thus increasing potential negative impacts on health.
Masks are products worn on the face that provide varying ability to block and filter particulates from the wearer to help prevent disease transmission to others (i.e., they may provide a level of source control). Masks may also provide some level of protection to the wearer depending on their design elements and their ability to fit the wearer. However, notable barriers remain that reduce overall mask usage. Among these barriers are:
Currently available retail masks are often untested, thus having unknown performance capabilities,
Physical discomfort with prolonged use, particularly in hot and humid environments,
Discomfort related to breathing resistance,
Irritant contact dermatitis with extended wear,
Inability to effectively communicate with others (speech is muffled, and others cannot see the wearer’s facial expressions)
Fogging of eyeglasses
These barriers present an opportunity for innovators to design masks which could be more acceptable to wearers and have verifiable measures of performance.
Phase 2 of the Mask Innovation Challenge represents a bold step in reimagining masks for the general public that provide both source control and some level of protection to the wearer. Entries are encouraged to have protection for a variety of airborne hazards. The goal of Phase 2 is to accelerate the development of the next-generation face masks, which aims to meet the performance and design criteria of the “Moonshot Criteria” in the Target Product Profile (TPP) [to view the TPP, click on the Resources tab and open the document called “Target Product Profile”] The Mask Challenge organizers developed the “Moonshot Criteria” as ambitious performance targets for accelerating mask innovation and overcoming barriers to user acceptance.
Awards:- $500,000
Deadline:- 01-01-2022
