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.
As a well-known inventor, you have been approached by one of these companies, Magic Masks Inc. to:
(1) Research all the main options for face mask design
(2) Design and produce a mask that fits the criteria provided by Magic Masks Inc.
Magic Masks is looking for a mask that fits the following criteria:
The mask must....
1. Be comfortable to wear for at least 11 hour straight.
2. Be adjustable to accommodate people of different shapes and sizes.
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.
5. Inexpensive.
Where to start?
FIRST... ask questions
"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...
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.
Remember to check that the sources are trustworthy!
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."
Read the full article here
QUOTE FROM THIS ARTICLE:
"Different types of mask offer different levels of protection."
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
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.."
Are cloth face masks likely to provide protection against COVID-19?
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."
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"
Read the full article here
THE ENGINEERING DESIGN PROCESS (EDP)
