Year 8 STEAM
Mask Task
PROBLEM SCENARIO
On 2nd August, in response to the second wave of COVID-19 outbreaks in Victoria, face masks and coverings were made mandatory.
Face masks are now big business, with many companies taking advanage of the opportunity to cash in on a now highly sought after product.
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As a well-known inventor, you have been approached by one of these companies, Magic Masks Inc. to:
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(1) Research all the main options for face mask design
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(2) Design and produce a mask that fits the criteria provided by Magic Masks Inc.
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Magic Masks is looking for a mask that fits the following criteria:
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The mask must....
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1. Be comfortable to wear for at least 11 hour straight.
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2. Be adjustable to accommodate people of different shapes and sizes.
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3. Provide a cover for the essential parts of the face, as ruled by the government's guidelines.
4. Not be exceptionally unattractive to look at.​
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5. Inexpensive.​
Where to start?
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FIRST... ask questions
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"What do I need to know before I can design the mask?"
You cannot start designing the mask until you know more about what makes masks effective...
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THEN... answer your questions
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Do this by starting to research.
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Use the resources below along with resources you find for yourself.
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Keep notes, writing down what you discover, so that you can include it in your digital workbook for section 1 of the EDP.
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Remember to check that the sources are trustworthy!
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Research material
Six things you need to know about the science behind wearing a homemade mask
Published on MedicalExpress.com, May 2020.
QUOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:
"...choose a material you can tolerate wearing that has at least a few different layers, because that improves the filtering..."
"...it should fit closely against your face so you're not breathing out the top and sides of the mask... "
"...it should be close enough to your face that most of your airflow is actually going through the mask."
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Read the full article here
QUOTE FROM THIS ARTICLE:
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"Different types of mask offer different levels of protection."
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Read the full article here.
Some diagrams from this article:
THIS COMPREHENSIVE WEB PAGE IS FULL OF ADVICE AND INFORMATION ABOUT MASKS AND HOW TO WEAR THEM.
Disgusting video shows what happens when you don’t wear a mask
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Published on News.com.au website, 2020.
QUOTE FROM THIS ARTICLE:
"...researchers compared the effectiveness of single and double-layer cloth face coverings with a 3-ply surgical face mask at reducing droplet spread.."
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Are cloth face masks likely to provide protection against COVID-19?
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Published by The Australian Government, July 2020.
QUOTE FROM THIS ARTICLE:
"...The effectiveness of face masks depends on consistent and correct use, including covering the nose and mouth adequately."
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Read the full article here.
Laser light experiment shows which types of face masks work best
Published on the Piedmont HealthCare website, July 2020.
IMAGE FROM THIS ARTICLE:
Using laser light to test the effectiveness of different masks.
QUOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:
"...The scientists were looking to determine the distance droplets can move with cloth-based coverings used to obstruct those droplets"
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Read the full article here
THE ENGINEERING DESIGN PROCESS (EDP)
