Mouth Shield
Team Composition:
1 UX Researchers
1Test Engineers
Role:
Lead HF
Problem
COVID-19 Pandemic
With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, it became crucial to address the safety and health of athletes during high-contact sports. The primary concern was protecting players from the transmission of the virus, while also ensuring that any protective gear did not negatively impact their performance.
Key Issues:
Protecting Athletes from Transmission: Developing a solution that would minimize the risk of virus transmission among players, especially during close-contact activities, while also adhering to health guidelines.
Performance Impact: Ensuring that the protective mouth shield would not interfere with the athletes' ability to perform at their highest level, maintaining comfort, visibility, and breathability during intense physical activity.
Study Plan
Given my experience in Human Factors (HF) and football, I was brought onto the project to test airflow and assess the effectiveness of various mouth shield designs. We developed multiple iterations of mouth shields with different venting systems, focusing on optimizing airflow without hindering performance.
Testing Setup:
Mouth Shields Tested: 4 different designs
Airflow Patterns: 3 types of airflow patterns to test effectiveness in ventilation
Distance: Testing was conducted over a 20-yard dash to simulate real-game scenarios
Primary Concerns:
Cardiovascular Performance: My primary concern was ensuring athletes could breathe freely and maintain optimal cardiovascular performance during intense activity. The airflow through the mouth shield needed to support easy breathing while maintaining protective coverage.
Acoustics: Another concern was the acoustics within the helmet, particularly the ability to communicate and hear while breathing and talking. This was critical for communication between players during play.
Usability Test:
A quick usability test was conducted with two participants to assess the performance of the mouth shields under physical conditions:
Participants: 2 athletes
Test: 20-yard dash with each mouth shield
Tools Used: Decibel meter to measure acoustics inside the helmet
This test provided valuable insights into how each mouth shield impacted breathing, communication, and overall comfort during physical exertion.
Findings
The results of the usability tests provided key insights into the performance of the mouth shield:
Airflow Protection: The shield effectively protected users from external airflow and droplets, meeting the goal of reducing potential transmission during play.
Breathability and Comfort: While the shield provided protection, it decreased breathability inside the helmet during use. This limited airflow may have impacted players' comfort and cardiovascular performance, especially during intense physical exertion.
Acoustic Impact: The shield increased decibel levels inside the helmet, making communication more challenging for athletes. The added noise from breathing and talking created a barrier to clear verbal communication, which is critical in team sports like football.
Real-World Use: Despite the limitations in breathability and acoustics, the shield was adopted by several NFL players during the regular season, highlighting its practicality and the willingness of athletes to use the protection during high-stakes games.
For more details on this project, please contact me.
lopezg7575@gmail.com
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