The SUPERvisor is an augmented face shield that strives to make the lives of first-response workers easier during the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to come up with a promising prototype, the designers—who are students at Berkeley—interviewed five nurse practitioners, one medical director, and two military colonels. The problems that they identified were physical, temporal, and communicative.
The resulting augmented face shield solution is also extremely affordable—an estimated cost of about $10 USD. Users need to download a corresponding app and place it into the smartphone compartment that is integrated into the shield, right above the eyes. the contents of the screen are then reflected by a mirror onto the transparent shield below. The information displayed is helpful for conducting the work needed to be done efficiently and as safely as possible. This includes "the patient’s background and mood; test samples collected; and information about the test collector’s own health and safety, such as their body temperature, or a reminder to change their PPE."
Augmented Face Shields
The SUPERvisor Takes into Consideration the Needs of Professionals
Trend Themes
1. Augmented Reality Personal Protective Equipment (AR PPE) - Opportunity for developing affordable AR PPE for first-response workers that displays necessary information in real-time with augmented reality technology.
2. Smartphone-integrated Wearable Technology - Opportunity for developing more affordable and effective wearable technology by integrating with smartphones.
3. Low-cost Innovation - Opportunity for developing low-cost technology solutions to help professionals during crisis situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Industry Implications
1. Healthcare Industry - Opportunity for healthcare industry to adopt affordable AR PPE solutions to improve the efficiency and safety of first-response workers.
2. Technology Industry - Opportunity for technology industry to develop affordable and effective smartphone-integrated wearable technology solutions.
3. Emergency Services Industry - Opportunity for emergency services industry to invest in low-cost innovation to improve the safety and effectiveness of first-response workers during crisis situations.