Five things to know:
1. The design has gone beyond 3D printers to include injectable mold production through Spark R&D to allow for mass production and a more comfortable feel.
2. Dusty Richardson, MD, is a neurosurgeon with Billings Clinic who worked on the design alongside dentist Spencer Zaugg, DDM, and his son Colton Zaugg, who has a degree in microbiology.
3. The mask has a replaceable filter, making it ideal to stem the spread of COVID-19. The design is free online and has gained national attention.
4. With the production now transitioned to Spark R&D, the company can produce 2,800 masks per day. With the 3D printer, it could take about three hours to print one mask.
5. The developers also connected with Flowmark/HighTech Filters, a fiber manufacturing business, to create the reusable filters, which are being sent across the U.S.
More articles on healthcare:
New York neurosurgeon recovers from COVID-19, volunteers at hospital ICU
Dr. Geoff Van Thiel: COVID-19 crisis paves way for ‘long-lasting changes’ in telemedicine
Spine surgeons and the coronavirus: 8 things to know
