An invisible, virus-killing mask

Air curtain technology created by a U-M startup, Taza Aya, can attach to the brim of a hard hat and deflect 99.8% of aerosols from reaching a worker’s face, potentially offering a new protection option for workers in industries where respiratory disease transmission is a concern. Independent, third-party testing of the device showed the effectiveness of a downward-flowing air curtain, curved to encircle the face, coming from nozzles at the hat’s brim a few inches from the face. That curtain is just one part of the device’s defense against pathogens. “Our air curtain technology is precisely designed to protect wearers from airborne infectious pathogens, using treated air as a barrier in which any pathogens present have been inactivated so that they are no longer able to infect you if you breathe them in,“ said Herek Clack, a U-M associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, and a Taza Aya co-founder. “It’s virtually unheard of—our level of protection against airborne germs, especially when combined with the improved ergonomics it also provides.“ Read more here: Find out about more of Herek Clack’s research by check out his lab site: ------ Watch more videos from Michigan Engineering and subscribe: @MichiganEngineering The University of Michigan College of Engineering is one of the world’s top engineering schools. Michigan Engineering is home to 14 highly-ranked departments, and its research budget is among the largest of any public university. Follow University of Michigan Engineering: Instagram: LinkedIn: X: Facebook: