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Creating a Mask for Athletes

My team sought out to create an athletic face mask that protects against COVID-19 without hindering breathability or athletic performance.

Fall 2020

In the world of athletics, the requirements to wear masks during training made it difficult for me, many other athletes, and active individuals to perform at high levels due to the major functional limitations of training with uncomfortable and restricting face masks on.

The Set Up

  • 4 group members

  • 10 weeks to complete

My Role

  • facilitated user tests

  • performed competitive analysis

  • iterated on high fidelity prototypes

Methods

  • stakeholder interviews

  • standards research

  • patent research

  • user survey

  • benchmark testing

  • user testing

  • prototype iteration

The Collegiate Mask

a structured, sweat wicking mask built for athletes training during the Covid-19 pandemic

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mask 3.PNG

Research

Goals

  • identify users and stakeholders

  • identify design requirements

  • gather information on patents and existing solutions

Methods

  • stakeholder interview with Northwestern U Equipment Manager

  • researched NCAA and CDC Covid guidelines

  • researched NFL high school and youth athletic departments'

  • Derwent patent research

Identifying Key Users and Stakeholders

We used a Power/interest Grid and a Product Journey Map to determine our key users and stakeholders.

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Identifying User Needs

After identifying our stakeholders, we identified the requirements for our athletic mask through competitive benchmark and patent research.

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  • Filter air particles to meet CDC guidelines 

  • Allows enough breathability to exercise properly 

  • Reduce fogging of glasses (Nice to have)

  • Quick drying / reduce sweat buildup 

  • Sun protection/ weather resistant

  • Doesn’t muffle communication 

  • Comfortable for the user

  • Comfortable & adjustable nose piece and ear loops 

  • For structured mask: 

    • Robust enough structure 

    • Structure doesn’t create sweat buildup 

Usability needs

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  • Easily wearable for all size faces 

  • Obvious visual cues for usage 

Functional needs

Production-based needs

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  • Reusable material, washable if reusable

  • Low cost (retail should be between $15 - 40)

  • Multiple sizes (or size adaptability)

too many needs! 

the team decided to narrow down the functional needs through user testing and surveys below 

Define

Goals

  • identify pain points

  • identify design opportunities

Methods

  • Northwestern athlete survey

  • benchmark testing on Northwestern athletes

We created a survey and sent it out to 2 Northwestern teams - field hockey and volleyball.

“What would you want out of an ideal athletic mask?”

"No acne, no breathing in the fabric, when wet: not getting the feeling im being suffocated"

"Thin, breathable, adjustable straps"

"Breathable and adjustable"

"Something light. Doesn’t fall down. Doesn’t water board me"

Benchmark Testing

We began benchmark testing to further identify aspects of masks that were most important to the users.

Benchmark Testing 1

Benchmark Testing 2

vocalized observations from 3 participants playing squash while wearing masks

biometrics and feedback from 5 D1 field hockey players wearing 2 issued masks during 2 weight lifts and practices

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The main complaints of the current athletic face masks were that they become uncomfortably wet, sweaty, and acne producing during training.

Design Opportunities

a breathable mask
cool, not sweaty
wearable with athletic equipment
vocal integrity
wearable with glasses without fogging
ability to eat or drink through mask
reduce acne generation
create adjustable mask for each size face

How might we create a breathable, sweat-buildup preventing mask that also prevents its material from getting in the mouth of the user?

Develop

Goal

Narrow down to one removable structure through prototyping

In order to create a mask that increases breathability and comfort while eliminating the "water boarding effect" that occurs from users' sweat, we found that our whitespace design area was that of a mask with a removable frame.

As this was done while we quarantined at home (Fall 2020), supplies and testing techniques were limited.

We created 3 mockups. Here are the first and second iterations and the results of the mockup testing where 3 athletes tested each mask while doing 50 jumping jacks.

1st Iteration and 1st Mockup Testing

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Around the mouth design v.1

LDPE material restricts mouth area

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Flat to Arch Design v.1

structure doesn't hold well

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Nose Centered Design v.1

rubber material is too flimsy to keep structure

liked that the rubber kept the material away from face

2nd Iteration and Testing

We created 3 mockups adjusted after the previous testing. The same athletes tested the new mockups with the 50 jumping jack procedure.

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Around the mouth design v.2

performed best in initial comfort category

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Filter/Pop up structure design v.1

performed best in overall comfort

material touches users' faces too much

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Nose Centered Design v.1

performed best in initial fit category

Results

  • The Nose Centered design ended up being most favored because it kept much of the material off of the face and kept its structure.

  • Adjustability is an important factor in comfort

Deliver

We were only able to create a first iteration of our prototype. It utilizes the Nose Centered Design as it was most preferred by our testing participants.

Initial Sketch/Brainstorming of First Prototype

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(by me)

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  • Increased security of fit by anchoring to user’s nose

  • Decreases glasses fogging by sealing around nose

  • Keeps mask material out of users mouth and nostrils

  • Design creates the ability to use less material to make face bracket, decreasing production cost

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First Prototype

Features

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  • LDPE material of removable bracket ensures a stable structure

  • fabric is 10% spandex and 90% polyester which creates sweat and heat wicking

  • the Velcro allows for easy removal and attachment of the bracket as demonstrated below

Nose Centered Design

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