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A Breath of Fresh Air
"Air-Shield" – a new active barrier between medical teams and the coronavirus
uring the long weeks of exponential of wind energy and flight as well as breathing
aerodynamics associated with crib death. "I
D coronavirus growth, healthcare asked two of my students, David Keisar and
Anan Garzozi, to create a detailed design
workers treating COVID–19 patients and make accurate measurements, and
were required to wear personal protective subsequent experiments we conducted
equipment, including an uncomfortable showed that the flow of air was indeed
bodysuit and bubble־like head gear that improved. Because our system is not based
invariably overheated to the point of causing on air flowing in through one tube and out
visor condensation and overall discomfort. through another, but rather on air flowing from
To solve these problems, and to overcome the the area of the forehead downward, fogging is
fear that existing protective masks do not fully significantly reduced."
eliminate the risk of viral droplet transmission, In retrospect, Prof. Greenblatt thinks of the
a new protective device for healthcare time he and his team spent working around
workers־the "Air־Shield"־was developed. the clock to complete this project as a
This is an active system that continuously fascinating and productive period. "We started
blows filtered air on the user’s face, improving working just before Passover," he says, "and
protection against infection and preventing it was a good reason to get out of quarantine.
fogging and overheating. The project made us feel that we were doing
The device combines a compact NBC filter something important for society and for
manufactured by the IDF, which is worn humanity."
around the waist, a custom־made manifold Following a fast־paced development process,
located over the user’s forehead, which blows Air־Shield was crowned with success and
the filtered air downward through tiny holes, is now serving the medical staff at Rambam
and a face shield that protects the wearer Medical Center. The device is patent־
from aerosol droplets that might contain pending, and Prof. Tarazi made sure that Prof.
coronavirus. Greenblatt’s name was added to the patent
Prof. Ezri Tarazi, chair of the Industrial Design registration request. "He did the actual work,
Program and head of the Design־Tech Lab I only provided support," Prof. Greenblatt
at the Technion, came up with the initial emphasizes.
idea for the air shield and headed the effort Air־Shield’s developers are now gearing up
to manufacture it, working together with for the next stage. "We are putting together a
physicians at Rambam Medical Center’s research proposal to find funding for further
Clinical Research Institute. Once a prototype research. In the event of a second coronavirus
was created, Prof. David Greenblatt, Head wave, or if other countries will need a product
of the Faculty’s Research Center for Energy such as ours in large quantities in the future,
Engineering and Environmental Preservation we will be ready," says Prof. Greenblatt.
and Head of the Flow Control Laboratory, "We think that with additional research and
joined the team. "Because I’m an expert development, our system could help all
on flow control, I was asked to improve the medical staff treating isolated patients, not
distribution of air blowing on the faces of just those working with COVID–19 patients."
healthcare workers," says Prof. Greenblatt,
who ordinarily studies unsteady aerodynamics
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering | MEgazine | 9
