Permanent Home of Project has moved to: https://github.com/tgh-apil/Reusable-N95-Project

Orig: William Ng et al. www.anesthesia.utoronto.ca/faculty/william-ck-ng

Last: 1 May 2020

Please read: Article on Medium

Reusable-N95-Project

APIL-CIGITI-GLIA-Lakehead-McMaster-NOSM-Queen's-USASK-UofT collab

Urgent design, testing, recommendation, upscale in industry, dissemination of stop-gap N95 mask designs and guidelines in light of disrupted N95 supply to COVID-19 era Canada

• This collaborative is an open-source, data-sharing, parallel development of the common goal (see CERN 2.0 License)
• Investigate back-up stop-gap plan for N95 depletion in Ontario, Canada, see Article on Medium.com
• Reuse of N95 is preferred at this stage by decontamination (VPHP, UVGI, Heat).

CAD Repo

• github ~/Design Types, or
• dropbox repo (and other big files, please ask William Ng)

Mattermost

• Team chat channel, email William Ng

Project Timeline

Current focus:

• form-fit test Simple Silicone Respirator with Intersurgical AirGuard HME bacterial/viral filters focus on refining
• form-fit test APIL NIH Unibody Silicone Respirator with HME bacterial/viral filters pause on this design

Weekly focus:

• Volunteer testing: aim 3 iterations max for every 52 volunteers. (Andrew et al.)
• 2nd Leap: Dual flat filter in tightly-sealed cartridge system to increased surface area for airflow. We better start NOW. (Lakehead-NOSM Team Andre, Mike, Mohammed; UofT R&D Team Andy, Arash, Jessica, Nasa, Natasha; also thanks Jake Bender from GLIA for bayonet designs)

Medium term challenge:

• Industry partner(s) to disseminate and upscale option(s).
• Medical Grade filter sourcing, preferred non-HME as they produce condensation on wearer-side
• Merv-15 x 2-ply, Billings MERV 14 2-Ply, Woodbridge INOAC 5-ply +/- 1-ply Halyard H100 Okay
• Estimation of unit Cost and Time to producing first 1000 units.

Design Options

NIH released open sources

• https://3dprint.nih.gov/collections/covid-19-response
• many variations to choose from, apart form the above, which have gained traction and use in several hospitals
• UHN APIL modification to Unibody Silicone with adapter for 15mm to 22mm adapter (TBC).

Simple Silicone Respirator (MB-ON collab)

• created by Christian Petropolis (Plastics Surgery) at HSC Manitoba; UHN APIL refining, validating, developing
• silicone material dragon skin sx pro to 10, durometer 2A - 10A
• attaches to commerical filters 15mm to 22mm; M size fits small to large; planning for S and L sizes.
• original cad, Christian's Github

"Kingston" Mask - Queen's Initiative

• Modification of Montana with different sizing, filter size, geometry, nose-pinching mechanism
• working in parallel with USASK on sealing with silicone rims to flexible PLA/TPU mask bodies
• fit-testing done by OSH at KGH

USASK Mask

• Flexible TPU with silicone ring applied to mask-rim, large mask filter casing

Montana 3D by Billings, Montana

• website: Instagram #MakeTheMask, https://www.makethemasks.com

Intermountain 3D (I3D) modification of Montana

• website: https://www.intermountain3d.com/covid-respirators.html

Concordia (Wisconsin) masks

• https://blog.cuw.edu/COVIDmasks/, both modification of Montana and dual-cartridge, folded 3DP models.

Prototype, Refinement (Josh et al.)

• Montana S, M, L size (modified) - (CIGITI|Brandon)
• Kingston XS, S, M, L, XL, Snowcone S, M - Fit-test Kingston Masks from Queen's - 23 April 2020
• Manitoba SSR M (S to come) - required 30 April 2020
• Seal and fit problem - seal adequate 24 April 2020, comfort level
• Onepiece Silicone Iteration - required 24 April 2020 - done
• Filtration area needs to be maximally increased for WOB and any remote chance of getting NIOSH testing
• Considering 2 filter cartridge system with tight seal (Lakehead|Andre, APIL|UofT R&D, NOSM|Michael, Jay Pooley)
• NIH S, M. (XS needs redesigning) - pause on this 15 April 2020
• I3D XS, S, M prototypes built - archived
• Adapter to ROXON filter functional as stop-gap option (no longer pursued given poor NIOSH testing)
• single filter cartridge system with N95 medium (no longer pursued given poor breathability with good mask seal)

Local Testing (Andrew)

Particulate and NIOSH test

• James Scott and Jeff Brook from UofT OS & EH 13 April 2020 - proof of concept testing
• excluded single FLAT N95 filter option, either double cartridge system, or pleated bacterial/viral filter required.
• Consider pursuing N90 grade with Merv 15 filter (suggested by Queen's https://www.mcmaster.com/22905k28)

OSHA and Bitrex Testing

• Portacount or AccuFIT fit-testing as per OSHA/CSA protocol, standard 7 Fit-Factor Rubric: https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.134AppA
• Pooling Non-UHN partners SickKids, Queen's University (KHSC), other OHS to perform CSA standard mask-fit test
• Functional Test as for any in-person testing using "spray under the hood" Bitrex
• UHN OHS involved, Craig Parsons and Sharon Martin (Mgr Frank Turner). UHN IPAC represented by Dr Alon Vaisman.

Other centres through Health Canada

• https://www.intertek.com/canada/ (https://www.intertek.com/scientific-regulatory-consultancy/)
• https://gcttg.com/en/ (textiles transportation geosynthetics)
• http://www.cambridgematerials.com (raw materials)

Decontamination (Vahid)

• Designs ideally be washable in chlorox 1:10 (as for faceshields) and dried
• Will eventually need microbiology to chip in
• Viral testing is a possibility

Production

• TBC: APIL, UofT AScE|MD Team, GLIA
• Mould (Industry)
• Silicone vs. Rubber (Industry)
• Straps (Vahid)
• Filter Material Sewing (Matt)

Regulation and Standards

ISO and CSA

Health Canada

• HC MDEL, and
• HC COVID-19 PPE

Budget

Capital outlay

Cost per unit

Labour

Dissemination and Delivery

• UHN|APIL
• 3D GTHA
• PPE Kingston
• Partners

Funding

Ontario Together initiative to help fight COVID-19,

• submitted: 12:30pm, 9 April 2020 by Will; responded to Ministry invitation, 18:15 17 April 2020.
• margaret.kinyanjui@uhnresearch.ca with internal template and actual application

NSERC

• submitted: 25 April 2020 by Will.

FastFund

• submitted: 12 April 2020 by Carla

Other Sources

• see contacts list
• UHN Peter Munk Innovation Fund: due 20 Apr 2020

Community

• Li Zhang (GLIA volunteer) to raise awareness and medium-term community funding

Long Term

Patent final product/s report

Non-Pandemic Use recommendations

Model refinement dependent on on-going funding

Publish then archived for future pandemic back-up response use

Team

UofT

• William Ng (Lead, Anesthesia, Principal Investigator @ UHN|APIL)
• Azad Mashari (Director of UHN APIL, Anesthesia)
• Andrew Syrett (Testing, Writer, Anesthesia)
• Matt Ratto (TEDA Director)
• Eric Greenwood (SickKids Advisor, Director of Equipment)
• Devin Singh (Testing, Design input, Engineering PhD, Anesthesia)
• James Scott (OS & EH)
• Alon Vaisman (UHN IPAC physician, UHN COVID-19 PPE team, UofT Infectious Diseases)
• Dmitry Rozenberg (Respirology and Lung Transplant)
• Carla Luzzi (Anesthesia)
• Binu Jacobs (Research Scientist and Associate)

APIL|UHN

• UHN Advanced Perioperative Imaging Lab (https://apil.ca)
• Joshua Hiansen (Design Engineering, Print Lead)
• Vahid Anwari (Production, Biomedical Engineer)

UofT School of Applied Science & Engineering

• Nasa Nguyen (Project Manager), email
• Arash Nourimand (R&D Team: CAD-Fusion)
• Natasha Valenton (R&D Team: CAD-Fusion)

UHN Vascular Surgery "Development of a non-disposable N95" - UHN AMO grant

• Graham Roche-Nagle, Vascular Surgery, partner Panon Plastics

CIGITI, SickKids - https://www.cigiti.ca

• Thomas Looi (Director)
• Brandon Peel (Design)

UofT MD Program | Hamilton SoM "3D-PPE-GTHA"

• Student Body, Community Presence, Logistics
• Sinthu Senthillmohan, Yousuf Ahmed, et al. (Point of Contact)
• Jessica Trac, et al. (R&D Team Coordinator)

UofT TEDA

• Yu Zou (Materials Sciences, Polymer Printing)
• Chandra Singh (Fluid Dynamics Engineering)

Lakehead|NOSM's Parallel Initiative

• Andre LaFreniere (Engineering, Lakehead)
• Chris Murray (Engineering, Lakehead)
• Siamak Elyasi (Engineering, Lakehead)
• Michael Poling (3D print, face-shields, NOSM Faculty, Division of Clinical Sciences)
• Alannah MaClean (Student Lead, NOSM)

McMaster

• Victoria McKinnon (MD Program, Inksmith)
• Samveg Shah (MD Program, Engineering)
• Lawrence Porter (Sheridan College, School of Engineering)

Queen's Parallel Initiative (SoM)

• Cesia Quintero & Megan Singh & Matt Snow (Founders)
• Taylor Sweet (YGK 3D, co-designer)

USASK's Engineering Team - google drive tbc

• Grant Tingstad (Engineer)
• Erik Olson (Engineer)

Key Community Partners

• Steve Cory (Objex Unlimited, CEO)
• James Garel Jones (VertiGrow, co-designer)

GLIA NFP partner - https://glia.org

• Carrie Wakem (Executive Director)
• Jessica Schroeder (Mattermost)
• Jake Bender (LHSC)
• Seeking joint grant proposal for Peter Munk Innovation Fund (Aim for 19 April 2020) (CV focus)

Sick Kids Research

• Jason Maynes, SickKids Research Chair (Portacount lab), viral testing lab (TBC)

Affiliates and Contacts

Dr. Nanthakumar from TGH Cardiology

• offering 3DP machines' spare capacity and engineering help
• Stephane Masse (3DP Engineer)

Manitoba Health Sciences Centre

• Christian Petropolis (3DP Mask Lead, Plastics Surgery)
• We agree to be their Ontario Partner

Industry

• Rick Struthers (True North PP, owner)
• Brian Read (ex-plastcs; industry co-ordinator)

Woodbridge indsutry, CEO Bob Magee

• VP (NVH) Martin Mazza - Technical POC regarding filter

NHH (Northumberland Hills Hospital)

• Mukesh Bhargava (Director)

EM|UHN

• Sameer Masoud/Masood (Emergency Physician, UHN and Humber)
• Aim to share filtering knowledge, testing results, combine human factors simulation.