Facemask with Electrical Contacts for Child Compliance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Treatment of young children with inhaled aerosols is challenging due to distractions caused by nebulizer noise, discomfort, and boredom, leading to ineffective delivery and waste of medication, as well as difficulties transitioning from nebulized drugs to metered dose inhalers.
Innovation Solution
A facemask with electrical contacts and a control circuit that provides audio and visual stimuli when properly sealed on the child's face, encouraging retention and ensuring effective medication delivery by initiating output only when the mask is securely in place.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If nebulized aerosols are used to deliver medication to young children, then medication delivery is achieved, but the nebulizer noise and generated mist distract and frighten children causing them to remove the facemask
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary entertainment system (audio speaker, visual display, or haptic actuator) that mediates between the medication delivery process and the child patient. This intermediary provides distracting entertainment content to reduce fear and distraction, allowing the child to tolerate the nebulizer noise and mist without removing the facemask, thereby maintaining reliable medication delivery
2Reliability
If treatment time for nebulized aerosols is extended to deliver an effective dose, then medication efficacy is improved, but child boredom increases leading to facemask removal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic action by providing continuous entertainment content (audio stories, music, or visual displays) throughout the extended treatment duration. This periodic stimulation maintains child engagement and reduces boredom over the prolonged treatment time required for effective medication delivery, preventing facemask removal
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediary entertainment system is introduced to make the extended treatment duration more tolerable for children. The entertainment device provides continuous engagement content that masks the monotony of prolonged medication delivery, allowing the full effective dose to be administered without child resistance
3Ease of operation
If the facemask is not securely sealed on the child's face, then child comfort is improved, but medication is wasted and vented to atmosphere
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by using sensors (such as optical, capacitive, or pressure sensors) to detect whether the facemask is properly sealed on the child's face. This feedback information is processed by a control circuit that can then adjust the entertainment content delivery or provide alerts to ensure proper mask sealing, thereby preventing medication waste while maintaining child comfort
4Reliability
If electrical contacts and control circuits are added to the facemask to detect sealing and provide stimuli, then compliance is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing the facemask with multi-functional components. The same facemask structure serves both as a medication delivery interface and as a platform for compliance monitoring sensors and entertainment output devices. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components, thereby limiting the increase in overall device complexity while still improving compliance
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances juvenile compliance and reduces medication waste by ensuring the mask remains in place during treatment, improving delivery efficiency and reducing discomfort and distractions for children.
Implementation Method 1
The facemask includes a plurality of electrical contacts, with each electrical contact disposed at a respective region of the skin contact perimeter. Each electrical contact is configured to sense when the respective region of the skin contact perimeter is sealingly engaged with a user's face.
Implementation Method 2
The facemask includes a speaker disposed on the facemask body, and the control circuit is configured to control the speaker to output an audible stimulus.
Implementation Method 3
The facemask includes at least one light emitting diode (LED) disposed on the facemask body, with the control circuit configured to illuminate the at least one LED as a visual stimulus.
Data Source
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AI summary
A facemask includes a facemask body, a plurality of electrical contacts and a control circuit. The facemask body has an end including an opening and a skin contact perimeter extending along a periphery of the opening, with the skin contact perimeter configured to sealingly engage with a user's face. Each electrical contact is disposed at a respective region of the skin contact perimeter, and each electrical contact is configured to sense when the respective region of the skin contact perimeter is sealingly engaged with a user's face. The control circuit is disposed on the facemask body, and the control circuit is configured to receive a signal from each electrical contact when the respective region of the skin contact perimeter is sealingly engaged with a user's face and to initiate output of an audible stimulus and/or a visual stimulus in response to receiving a concurrent signal from all of the plurality of electrical contacts.