'What if we could make face shields for frontline workers?'
This simple question we asked in the earliest days of the pandemic sparked India's largest citizen-led response to COVID-19
This simple question we asked in the earliest days of the pandemic sparked India's largest citizen-led response to COVID-19
When you learn to make, you learn to change the world. Within days of the first lockdown, the Maker’s Asylum community mobilised...
We designed an open-source face shield that could be produced quickly using readily available materials. What began in our workshop rapidly expanded as makers across the country joined forces.
Engineers, designers, and everyday citizens used their maker skills to bridge critical gaps when traditional supply chains collapsed.
The result? The M-19 Initiative: 1 million+ face shields delivered to frontline workers in just 49 days. But we didn't stop there.
The M-19 initiative started with a thought of giving only 1000 M-19 faceshields to the frontline workers. However, in 49 days we were able to activate 42 cities, towns and villages through our open source design and give over 1 Million.
Activation of local communities to make M19 Oxygen Concentrator (with indigenously sourced parts) in cities, towns and villages in India and building capacity to manufacture & maintain locally and in a decentralised manner.
A low cost powered-air purifying respirator (PAPR) for use in reducing exposure to airborne particles. This PAPR is designed to provide constant filtered airflow to healthcare workers in high risk environment during the COVID-19 pandemic.
M-19 ReBreather Smart Air Purifier with Replaceable Carbon activated HEPA Filters is an active respirator to help breathing comfortable inside an N-95 mask. Especially designed for senior citizens for comfortable breathing. Designed during the early onset of pandemic in 2020.
The maker community has an important role to play and can act as great conduits to the "Right to Repair" movement. We have so far under this project hosted repair cafes in Pune, Goa and virtually to share what we know and engage more, fablabs and individuals to join the movement.
It relies on active community participation for problem solving and minimises reliance on the government or the private sector.
It can generate large datasets due to participation from the community (millions of data points), which would not be feasible in academic projects.
Being open R&D, there are no intellectual property barriers. Open-source licensing encourages collaboration.
Solutions can be replicated globally, since data and methodology are publicly available.
Projects carried out with scientific rigor without compromising quality over cost.
A peer-review process is adopted to evaluate and analyse every step of the project.
An unprecedented number of do-it-yourself hobbyists (i.e. makers) have started to use digital fabrication tools to produce critical items.
Maker's Asylum, an innovation hub in Mumbai has been manufacturing face shields for doctors, police personnel, and other frontline workers who are exposed to the risk of COVID-19.
Two members of Maker’s Asylum decided to quarantine themselves at the community hackerspace in Andheri, to produce protective gear for healthcare professionals.
