Abstract
Existing medical masks have various disadvantages, such as the environmental damage caused by disposable masks, the discomfort and poor ventilation caused by prolonged mask wearing, and the lack of aesthetic design in mass-produced masks. Thus, this study used quality function deployment, the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process, and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation to research, develop, and design masks. The aforementioned methods were also used to determine the ranking of design requirements. The following priority ranking of design requirements from most to least important was obtained: reducing discomfort at the contact between the mask and the skin (0.265), avoiding foul odor inside the mask (0.187), convenient cleaning and portability (0.166), good airtightness (0.152), suitable aesthetic design for wearing in public and on social occasions (0.130), and reducing waste (0.100). Experts evaluated mask designs, and their opinions were subject to fuzzy analysis. Specifically, 50% of the experts evaluated the designs to be “good” or “very good”. Only 29% of the experts rated the design results as “average”. Thus, the innovative mask designed in this study can meet the needs of users, overcome the drawbacks of existing masks, and provide a feasible solution for the current COVID-19 pandemic.
Highlights
Existing medical masks have various disadvantages, such as the environmental damage caused by disposable masks, the discomfort and poor ventilation caused by prolonged mask wearing, and the lack of aesthetic design in mass-produced masks
Recent studies have shown that patients with COVID-19 often sustain bacterial and fungal co-infection situations in addition to the primary infection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) [3]
The pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 itself with a co-infection situation will cause the prognosis of COVID-19 and the difficulty of treatment or even increase the severity of disease symptoms and increase the probability of death [4]
Summary
In 2019, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) triggered global panic [1]. The global pandemic has caused many deaths and affected the economy of all countries. The pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 itself with a co-infection situation will cause the prognosis of COVID-19 and the difficulty of treatment or even increase the severity of disease symptoms and increase the probability of death [4]. It shows the horror of COVID-19 and the complexity of treatment. Mask wearing is regarded as an effective method for controlling the spread of SARS-CoV-2 [12]. Saadat et al [18] indicated that the pandemic has resulted in the generation of large quantities of untreatable medical waste globally Due to their water resistance, disposable masks do not decompose naturally and are buried in landfills. The amount of mask waste should be reduced to make masks more pleasant to wear and friendlier to the environment
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