TIRUCHI
With wearing face masks becoming the “new normal,” concerns have risen about its suitability for persons with hearing impairment who depend on lip-reading and facial expressions to communicate . To provide a possible solution, a young Tiruchi-based doctor has designed a transparent see-through face mask. The prototype has been submitted to the Tamil Nadu government for approval so that it could be mass-produced.
A.Mohamed Hakkim, a 29-year-old emergency physician in the city, thought of the need for such masks as some of his patients struggled to communicate with him. “My mouth was covered by a face mask and because of it, the patients could not read his lips and understand what I was saying,” he said.
Dr. Hakkim drew up a prototype using three layers of thick cloth, which N-95 masks are made of, and a biodegradable non-toxic plastic to make the transparent part.
A key feature of the mask is that it is reusable, and is also fog-resistant as one’s breath could fog up the glass rendering the mask useless, Dr. Hakkim said. The material had to be chosen to ensure the feature.
The cost of each mask will work out to be about ₹10 but Dr. Hakkim is looking to distribute at least 1000 in Tiruchi district for free. One must understand that along with a deaf and mute person, more importantly, their parents, teachers, friends, all those who communicate with them will require the transparent mask, he said.
The shelf life of the mask too is long and can be reused for up to 100 days, Dr. Hakkim said. “We have conducted various real-time tests to ensure its functioning. Many have expressed their need for such a mask,” he said.
The Tamil Nadu government has drawn up a plan to distribute 81,000 masks to 31,000 people through the Commissionerate for the Welfare of Differently Abled. Dr. Hakkim is looking to have the masks distributed through them and various NGOs.
