UNITED KINGDOM — Hertfordshire based business Helloface have produced one of the UK’s first CE marked Transparent Medical Face Masks to help breakdown communication barriers.
After taking the necessary steps to certify the mask, it has now met the requirements of the new ‘Transparent Medical Face Mask’ specification and is now successfully CE Marked.
Creating Accessibility in Medical Settings
The need for a solution to people’s communication complications as a result of opaque face masks is continuing to grow outside of the pandemic. On average, one in five people in the UK experience some kind of hearing loss, of which 151,000 people use British Sign Language to communicate. Wearing an opaque face mask, this is made impossible as they block all necessary visual cues needed to communicate using BSL.
Due to the ongoing pandemic, face masks are currently advised across all healthcare settings, on public transport and in crowded and enclosed spaces in the UK.
Doctors, nurses, dentists and all staff working in healthcare settings will continue to wear face masks post pandemic which will subsequently continue to raise potential miscommunication issues and anxieties amongst patients.
“With the CE Mark, we are thrilled to be able to offer our Transparent Medical Face Mask across the UK and EU to hospitals, dentists, GPs and whoever will benefit from the unique transparency of the product. Our face mask enables full facial recognition and lip reading, meaning it is less intimidating for patients in hospitals and care homes. It is also designed in the UK to be a sustainable innovation, subsequently having a minimal effect on the environment. Gaining the CE Mark is the result of our continual determination to design and manufacture a scalable, safe and effective face mask that will benefit medical professionals, care workers and those in the hospitality, tourism and construction workforce with transparent protection.”
—Dean Ezekiel, Director of Design Abled
This transparent face mask represents a breakthrough for many groups, particularly those who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, people with learning disabilities, dementia, autism, the elderly and young children. Allowing people “to share a smile and make communication more accessible will help to improve interaction and reduce anxieties”.
Crowd Funding Campaign
To support the expected demand for the clear face masks, Design Abled is introducing a crowdfunding campaign. According to the company, funders will benefit from large discounts and exclusive perks.
For further information and to register your interest, visit [https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/helloface-ce-marked-clear-face-masks/coming_soon/x/25021963].
The Transparent Medical Face Mask is in production and will be available in November through contacting [email protected] or calling 0203 905 1888.
About Design Abled
Design Abled Ltd, based in Hertfordshire, UK is the company behind Helloface, their range of transparent face masks. They design and manufacture clear masks to help people communicate safely and interact freely without a barrier. Find out more at thehelloface.com
Source: Design Abled
