Masks For Sports: Development project of protective respiratory masks for ice hockey teams during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

COVID-19 caused pressure and the uncertainty by the immediate lock-down in sports, this “HelpfulETH” initiative project pursued a fast-track development of a protective respiratory mask tailored to ice hockey. The project defined the requirements of protective gear gathering the information from athletes but also experts in the sport, in medicine and in virology. As project results, commercially available respiratory masks were not found suitable for sports, hindering the breathability and performance of the athletes. In search of a solution to meet the complex and very exigent needs, an anesthetic mask combining existent components such as a viral filter showed better suitability. Testing a realized prototype, further research and design needs were identified to allow respiration in this professional and demanding sport.