Aegis Mark II Study on Powered Air Purifying Innovation Respirator Efficiency Comparison ASPIRE Study
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Abstract
Introduction. COVID-19, a respiratory droplet-transmitted disease, has claimed approximately 7 million lives worldwide, partly due to a shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) needed for prompt patient care. This study was done to assess if the locally developed Aegis Mark II Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR) can fill this need in terms of usability and filtration efficacy.
Methodology. The battery life was recorded in a controlled environment by running the PAPR continuously on low and high settings. To test usability, participants were allocated to three groups (commercial PAPR, Aegis Mark II, and Aegis Mark I), then participated in a clinical simulation while wearing the PAPR, and answered a questionnaire regarding their satisfaction with the PAPR. Filtration efficacies of the commercial PAPR and Aegis Mark II were compared in a controlled environment (acrylic box) by measuring the number of aerosolized NaCl particles inside the PAPR compared to outside the PAPR.
Results. The Aegis Mark II PAPR’s 20,000mAh rechargeable Lithium battery pack lasted for a mean of 11 h and 34 min (SD 16 min), and 8 h and 34 min (SD 38 min), for low and high flow blower settings, respectively. The mean charging time was 2 h and 20 min (SD 19 min) using a Fast Cellphone Charger (2.4 Amps). Participants reported higher satisfaction with the Aegis Mark II compared to the commercial PAPR in terms of factors affecting residency and education use and communication effort (n = 30, overall mean = 7.86 ±1.81) (Table 1), comfort (n = 8.52, overall mean = 8.52 ±1.63), and PAPR care (n = 30, overall mean = 7.76 ±1.75). The mean particle counts inside the hood of the Aegis Mark II PAPR and Commercial PAPR showed that PM2.5 (5.7 and 6.2), and PM10 (6.2 and 6.6) values were within acceptable Ambient Air Quality Standards.
Conclusion. The locally developed Aegis Mark II PAPR displayed a high degree of protection comparable with commercial PAPRs. Its battery life was adequate. It was highly conducive to training and clinical work while being comfortable to use and maintain. It can provide a high degree of protection and alleviate the logistical strain during pandemics and public health emergencies.
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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