Automated Adjustment of PPE Masks Using IoT Sensor Fusion

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a dramatic increase in the use of PPE by the general public as well as health professionals. Scientists and health organizations have developed measures to protect people and minimize the catastrophic outcomes of COVID, including social distancing, frequent and periodic sanitizing, vaccinations, protective coverings, and face masks. During this time, the usage of protective face masks has increased dramatically. A mask only provides full safety to the user if it is a proper fit on their face. The aim of this paper is to automatically analyze and improve the fit of a face mask using IoT sensors. This paper describes the creation of a 3D-printed smart face mask that uses sensors to determine the current mask fit and then automatically tightens mask straps. This is evaluated using adjustment response time and the quality of fit achieved using the automatic adjustment approach with a range of sensor types.