breath - virbmedia.virbcdn.com/files/0c/1a066dbb07a0ef75-alek_s_thesis_2redu… · one of levi’s...

Breathroad to a better dust mask

*Hiscott, Graham. “Cleaning sprays are blamed for an asthma epidemic” The Express, October 13, 2007

PHASE ZERO CLEANING RESEARCH

PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS

The initial research was in commercial cleaning in general, exploring the function, usage and comfort of the various equipment used by janitors and commercial cleaners.

wet dry vac

back vac

mop bucket

buffer

vacuum

trash basket


equipment

wet dry vac

spray bottle

buffer

wrangler

bucket

broom

back vac

mop

mov

emen

t

bending

lifting

reaching

sweeping

wiping

hazards chem

ical

slipping

particle

strain

FIELD OBSERVATIONS

During the ethnographic observations it was observed the difficulty of getting the camera to focus because of the amount of dust in the air. It was then noticed that none of the workers were wearing any form of protection against the dust. At this point the research shifted away from the equipment, and instead towards the air qual-ity and lung health.


THE DANGERS

A major cause of asthma are often allergens in the air. However, what’s not as widely known is that the cleaners that are meant to fight against allergens and dust often increase the risk of asthma as well, especially those that have ammonia or chlorine bleach. As reported by the LA Times* “Studies of people who work with cleaning products for a living have indeed suggested a link between conventional cleaners and an increased risk of asthma and skin irritation.”

Also, cleaners with nonylphenol ethoxylates, used in detergents have been linked with birth defects, liver damage, and kidney damage. Early research has also shown phthalates used for the plastic bottles cause damage to male reproduction.*

*Conis, Elena. “Safely clean?” Los Angeles Times, April 28, 2008

asthmahealthy

OCCUPATIONAL ASTHMA

Commercial cleaning and janitorial professions are often trivialized, and the workers ignored. Thus, while seeing a painter or carpenter in a dust mask is nothing unusual, commercial cleaners rarely wear one. How-ever, as reported by the Express,* “Up to 25 per cent of people exposed to chemicals, including cleaning sprays, at work will go on to develop occupational asthma.”


INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCE

Jim CraneCrane was general manager of a Hotel. One day he was asked to remove the mold from one of the hotel rooms. The mold settled on the membrane of his lungs, eventually leading to hypersensitivity pneumonitis scarring his lungs leading to pulmonary fibrosis. Now retired, he is forced to take 17 drugs a day, and still wheezes heavily.

Joann TaylorAfter a new building renovation, Joann developed chest pains and then began to vomit as a result of all the toxic fumes being released by the newly laid carpet. After she was rushed to the emergency room her employer Centerior Energy Corp tried to force her to continue working there.

Levi Strauss & Co. ‘Death Cube’One of Levi’s factories in San Francisco was located above a restaurant with a smoke burning oven. Over a period of eight years about 60 employees complained about the air quality from the smoke. Three people were disabled from acute asthma, and another three died from cancer, garnering it the nickname, ‘death cube.’

Source: CONLIN , MICHELLE. “Is Your Office Killing You?” Business Week, June 5, 2000

Source: CONLIN , MICHELLE. “Is Your Office Killing You?” Business Week, June 5, 2000

Commercial cleaning and janitorial professions are often trivialized, and the workers ignored. Thus while seeing a painter or carpenter in a dust mask is nothing unusual, commercial cleaners rarely wear one. However, as reported by the Express,* “Up to 25 per cent of people exposed to chemicals, including cleaning sprays, at work will go on to develop occupational asthma.”

THE SCALE & THE GOAL

While most of the equipment contains obvious usage flaws, the asthma statistics, coupled with the fact that no one used protective gear during the filming, combines to make a problem too significant to ignore. As such, the goal for the design portion will be a low profile mask that can be used comfortably on a daily basis by a cleaner.


PHASE ONE GESTALT & CULTURAL RESEARCH

THE CULTURAL ICONOGRAPHY

While these objects were originally created as functional items, it is eventually is given meaning by a culture. Thus, by using it implies something about the persons origins, profession, intentions, or beliefs. In image 1 the item was originally for protection against airborne dust and sand, now it can be used as part of gender roles, class and tribal identification. Image 2, originally to keep the face warm, now is often associated with violence, either for political violence, or in a more hollywood setting, a bank robber hiding his identity. The 3rd image is a helmet and mask just for jet pilots, and not only has military connotations, but also of technological sophistica-tion.

1 2 3

PERSONA

Subcomandante Marcos is an interesting case study of how a face cover, usually used to hide oneself and pro-vide anonymity is flipped and used to create a persona. Primarily used to hide his actual identity, the combina-tion of his covering with his signature pipe is now a part of his image. Thus, it protects him while at the same time allowing him to maintain an individual identity.

1 2 3 4

A PART OF THE UNIFORM

Some styles are only worn by a specific professions, and over time it’s association with that profession be-comes so strong, that even out of context it can still be identified. Here all three objects are helmets, yet each one can be identified to a specific profession or environment. The soldier and the hockey player are both wear-ing it for protection, yet even though they have the same general purpose, a soldier wearing a hockey helmet would come off as absurd.

1 2 3

A MEDICAL DEVICE

Medical devices are primarily functional items, with aesthetics and cultural meaning secondary. As seen in image 2, this can amplify an issue that the user most like may not wish to amplify. On the other hand, in the first image of a pollution mask, which is essentially a medical device, it has been designed to better function in a social environment.

1 2 3

FREEFORM

A freeform head wrap allows for more freedom of expression and personalization for the user. However, it also puts an additional burden on the user of knowing how to properly wrap it as well as the actual time involved in wrapping.

RIGID BODY STRUCTURE

A mask using a rigid body structure dramatically lowers the learning curve and time to put on, while giving up personality. The burden of proper use is largely lifted off the user and instead put on the producer.

However, by making covering up such a large portion of the face, while at the same time not allowing personal-ization that a head wrap allows, it anonymizes the user.


PHASE TWO IDEATION & FORM STUDIES

SKETCHES

During the sketching process, uses of transparent windows, more form fitting masks, modular units, and incor-perating clothing were explored

SKETCHES

The personality window and form fitting structure showed the most promise

1

MOCK-UP

The personality window and form fitting structure showed the most promise 1 2 3

Form study mock-ups were done using printer paper, velum, acrylic, and found masks. Things explored were creating form for facial geometry, transparency, and straps coming from above versus coming from below.

1

MOCK-UP

The personality window and form fitting structure showed the most promise 1 2 3

One observation from the personality window was that if only partially cropped, it defeats the goal of creat-ing a more inviting mask. As with when one crops a photo, cropping a face still abstracts it and in a way almost makes it even more intimidating. Thus, if the window is used it has to encompass a larger area to have the needed effect.

1

DRAPE STUDIES


In order to speed up the form generating process, Rhino3D was used to create planar drapes, that were draped over a head. These drapes were then re-draped using reduces grid size in order to smooth out and simplify the surface to create a more workable form.

1

FORM STUDIES


Using the Rhino3D data, a CNC version of six of the models was made. This creates six designs that could be vac formed and further explored.

1

FORM STUDIES


With the vac formed masks done, they could be tested to see which one fit the most people comfortably, while at the same time limiting the amount of gap space around the face geometry. Afterwords the window shape was determined through process of trial and error.

1

FORM STUDIES


Using the information from the previous forms, a final mask structure was reached.


PHASE THREE RESOLUTION

1

FINAL DESIGN


1

window

trim

nose bridge

strap padding

�lter

rivet

activated charcoal fabric

padding

head strap

FINAL DESIGN


FINAL DESIGN

1

FINAL DESIGN

Breathroad to a better dust mask

the end

breath - virbmedia.virbcdn.com/files/0c/1a066dbb07a0ef75-alek_s_thesis_2redu… · one of levi’s...

Documents