The Respirator is an all-in-one respirator that focuses on comfort and keeping the users safe, instead of having to buy multiply products such as googles, a mask or ear defenders. It is compatible with helmets so it can protect the crucial parts of the head as well as the face.

A project that I am currently working on that explores safety features and communication that builders lack when working, the main focus of this project is to create an all in cumbering RESPIRATORY system that not only protects the user in a dangerous environment but, also makes it easier to communicate with others when wearing the respirator.

I started with designing 13 ideas focusing on the three areas comfort, protection and communication and then picking the three best designs to develop and take to the prototyping stage.

I developed the best three ideas to suit the brief better, I choose the 3 design to the best after putting it through a matrix evaluation, I still created prototypes for the other ideas in case there where elements I thought could improve the final design.

I always my prototyping by measuring the dimensions of the face to see how to cover certain features such as the mouth, nose and eyes as these are the areas that need the most protection.

The original prototypes looked like, I used cardboard and paper modelling as it provided the right amount of flexibility to model the material to the desired shape and both materials are  allow for clear markings to be made on them so, I can mark any areas that needed to be changed or adapted. 

From the these prototypes I found areas that needed to be changed and created three more prototypes. these would be the last ones before the final design would be made.

As an extra precaution to make sure my design could be worn, I used my own head to measure the distance between my ears, I would have used participants however when doing my work I was in lockdown. also at the time I did not have a hard hat so, i used a normal one to simulate one. 

The respirator has to be compatible with all head wear this lead me to develop the ear defender side of the project as the placing of the could effect weather or not a helmet can be worn. 

I designed and modelled 7 prototypes to see how best the ear defenders would fit around the hat / helmet. i quickly disregarded any design that had the back follow the line of the brim of the hat as that model would cover the back straps of a safety helmet making the respirator uncomeatable to wear or unusable. 

I decided to go with the model that had to back pieces as the top piece was low enough that it wouldn't interact with the helmet and the ear coverings are large enough to cover and protect the users ears.

This was later confirmed when I bought a hard hat to find out where all the problem areas were and as I suspected the problem area was the strap at the back.

After measuring the distance between my ears and finding the best solution to over come the helmet strap problem, I then moved on to the filter size on the respirator. If the filters are to small they would have to changed more often and if they are too large the filters may cause discomfort or block vision.

I made a small model of a possible filter and adjusted the size until the sizes was just right, just below the cheek bone as it doesn't block the users  vision but not too small that the filters get blocked too quickly.