Glasgow product design agency Filament has been awarded funding to develop a protective barrier that could prevent airborne spread of bacteria during medical treatment.
Covid-19 prompted the firm to design VapourSafe, a transparent barrier which creates a micro-environment around the patient but through which medical staff can work safely.
The £50,000 grant has come from Innovate UK, the UK Government’s innovation agency.
Brian Magennis, design engineer at Filament, said: “The idea itself was conceived by the internal development team here at Filament following widespread reports of PPE shortages. We felt there must a be another solution to help protect medical staff.
“We’re used to taking a problem and approaching it in a different way, so we immediately started exploring alternatives to PPE”.
Medical procedures can produce a lot of vapour, putting staff at heightened risk. VapourSafe product is intended to reduce the need for PPE, which can be uncomfortable and restrictive, to be worn by medical staff.
VapourSafe will be ready for live trials in August 2020, with pre-production devices being tested in October 2020.
Filment's product designs range from bicycle technology to smart building sensors and an in-store coffee machine for customers including Audi and Marks & Spencer.
Gregor Aikman, co-founder of Filament PD, said: “We have developed over 100 products for our customers since the company began, so our confidence in developing a product quickly was high.
"The timing of the Innovate UK competition couldn’t have been better, and we are delighted to have been granted the funding. It allows us to push on quickly with the development and get devices in the hands of who needs them within months.
He added: “This competition was created to drive forward new technological advances borne out of the COVID-19 pandemic. Innovation is key to what we do, so we’re delighted with the support and to be included among the top cutting-edge business awarded in the competition.”
