Transparent Overlay Facemask for Pediatric Anesthesia Stress Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Airway or anesthesia masks can cause stress and negative physiological responses in children due to their appearance and the difficulty in maintaining a proper seal, which hinders medical providers' visualization and adjustment during procedures.
Innovation Solution
Design of double-sided and single-sided facemasks with images on both or one side, respectively, that can be easily placed over anesthesia masks, allowing children to view them and facilitating quick removal and reapplication, while the facemask straps secure the anesthesia mask in place, enabling unobstructed medical provider access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an airway or anesthesia mask is placed over a child's mouth and nose, then oxygenation and ventilation are supported, but the child experiences stress and negative physiological responses
Solution Approach 1:
A transparent overlay mask is introduced as an intermediary between the child and the anesthesia mask. This overlay mask features a friendly face design that captures the child's attention and provides emotional comfort, while being completely transparent to allow uninterrupted medical monitoring. The overlay acts as a psychological mediator that reduces stress without interfering with the medical function of the underlying anesthesia mask.
Solution Approach 2:
The overlay mask utilizes visual design elements including a friendly face with appropriate coloration to create a comforting and engaging appearance for children. The colorful friendly face contrasts with the clinical appearance of the anesthesia mask, transforming the visual experience from threatening to reassuring while maintaining transparency for medical observation.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If images are embedded on or into the airway mask itself, then the child can view them, but the medical provider's visualization of respiratory effort is impeded
Solution Approach 1:
The solution separates the visual comfort function from the medical monitoring function by dividing the mask system into two distinct layers: a transparent overlay mask containing the friendly face design for child comfort, and a separate anesthesia mask for medical monitoring. This segmentation allows each component to fulfill its specific function without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
The transparent overlay mask serves as an intermediary layer that provides visual comfort to the child while being optically transparent to the medical provider. The transparency of this intermediary layer ensures that respiratory effort, fogging patterns, and other critical visual cues remain fully visible to the medical provider.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If attachments such as ornamental elements are embedded on the anesthesia mask, then the child can view them, but proper mask-face seal attempts are impeded
Solution Approach 1:
The design segments the ornamental elements (friendly face) from the functional sealing surface of the anesthesia mask. The overlay mask contains all visual elements and fits over the anesthesia mask without interfering with the seal interface, allowing proper mask-face contact and adjustment while providing visual comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The overlay mask acts as an intermediary that provides the ornamental friendly face design without interfering with the sealing function. It fits over the anesthesia mask in a way that does not obstruct the medical provider's ability to adjust and secure the proper seal between the anesthesia mask and the child's face.
4Loss of information
If a traditional anesthesia mask is used, then medical provider visualization is maintained, but the child experiences emotional distress
Solution Approach 1:
A transparent overlay mask is introduced as a mediator that adds emotional comfort value without subtracting from medical monitoring capability. The overlay mask's transparency ensures that respiratory effort visualization remains clear while the friendly face design provides psychological comfort to the child.
Solution Approach 2:
The overlay mask incorporates a friendly face with appropriate coloring to create a comforting visual appearance for the child. This color and visual design transformation changes the emotional impact from negative to positive while the transparency maintains medical visualization quality.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a single or double sided facemask for children to wear either as a stand-alone facemask or for use in conjunction with an anesthesia or airway mask. The double sided face mask has a front surface representing a face and a back surface representing a face. The mask has an aperture in about the nose or mouth area which is adapted to couple with an airway device gas line opening. The face mask is disposable and is easily stored and used. The face mask is designed to couple with a conventional airway or anesthesia mask. Use of the facemask during a medical procedure can place a child at ease and increases acceptance of airway or anesthesia masks.