Last year Johns Hopkins unveiled an Ebola protection suit that has a lot of innovative features to protect the wearer while being comfortable to keep on for extended periods of time. Now the university has partnered with DuPont to develop the device into a real product that can be used by clinicians in the field by 2016.
The suit has a zipper on the back with break away tabs and features a nifty method of taking it off without assistance that prevents potential contamination. There is a large shield on the front providing a wide viewing area as well as the ability of patients to clearly see the face of the clinician. A built-in vent prevents fogging and help breathing while preventing contaminants from coming in.
Jhpiego, a Hopkins partner firm that’s also working on the Ebola suit, will field test it in Liberia where signs of the disease are still present.
From the announcement:
In December, the USAID selected the new Johns Hopkins prototype protective garment, made of a DuPont advanced material, as one of the first five projects to receive funding to address the healthcare challenge posed by Ebola.
The prototype garment was developed by the Johns Hopkins Center for Bioengineering Innovation and Design (CBID), with input from global health partner, Jhpiego, a Johns Hopkins affiliate. Incorporating some elements from the Johns Hopkins prototype, the garment design from DuPont will feature a rear zipper and a “cocoon-style” removal, or doffing, process that requires far fewer steps to reduce risk.
Here’s video from last year presenting the Ebola suit:
Flashback: New Protective Ebola Suit Developed at Johns Hopkins University…
Press release: Johns Hopkins and DuPont Join Forces to Produce an Improved Ebola Protection Suit…