Ford makes N95 masks with clear panels to help the deaf and facilitate communication

Ford is using its technical prowess to solve a thorny coronavirus problem: designing a medical-grade face mask that reveals wearers’ facial expressions and also allows the hearing impaired lip reading. The automaker, which started producing personal protective equipment from the start Coronavirus pandemic, has developed a face mask with transparent panels that also filters most airborne particles.

“In those early days, everyone was learning what it was like to live in a masked environment. We quickly identified that while it is difficult for everyone to wear a mask all day, for people with hearing loss, it is an even greater challenge, “Jim Baumbick, the leader of the effort. Ford’s PPE manufacturing company, told CBS MoneyWatch. “It got us thinking about how we could help these people effectively. [with a mask] you take away another sense that they rely on to communicate and connect. “

Baumbick also sees the potential potential of Ford’s transparent ventilators to improve interactions between physicians and patients, as well as teachers and students.

The mask is still in development and its filtration ability has not yet been approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). NIOSH approved N95 respirators form a tight seal on the user’s face and filter at least 95% of airborne particles. Any mask that claims to be an N95 but does not bear the NIOSH stamp of approval is considered inauthentic or counterfeit, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

While N95 respirators provide strong protection against the coronavirus, they remain rare and are only recommended by health workers. Healthcare and industrial products maker 3M recently admitted that it was struggling to meet demand from frontline workers despite the quadrupling of production in the United States.

Ford expects the masks to be available in the spring, pending NIOSH certification. Currently, the company is focused on testing respirators, first with first responders, medical workers and teachers. It is not yet clear how Ford will distribute the masks and whether they will be more widely available.

“We are looking for N95 certification and working with NIOSH to make sure we go through the entire testing regime before we release them,” Baumbick said.

The clear plastic panels are coated with an anti-fog treatment and can be replaced, according to Ford. The panels are designed to provide a full view of the wearer’s face, while the side panels of the masks are made of highly efficient filtration material, Baumbick said.

—Michael Roppolo of CBS News contributed reporting