- Vyzr is selling a PPE shield with an air purifying system to protect against coronavirus.
- The BioVyzr concept raised nearly $300,000 on Indiegogo. The company said the shields are currently in production, and early backers are supposed to get their shields in June.
- The ‘Single’s Pack’ backing perk is $172 and comes with one shield and a box of filters, but the shield is also available for purchase on Vyzr’s website.
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Face masks aren’t the only protective gear to prevent the coronavirus. Toronto-based Vyzr Technologies created the BioVyzr, a shield that covers the wearer’s face and protects against droplets and pathogens.
With what Vyzr calls a “space-age aesthetic,” the BioVyzr is a Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR), a device typically used only in industrial and healthcare settings. The company says a PAPR can often cost as much as $1800, but the BioVyzr is selling for a relatively low $172 via a perk for backing the project or on the company’s website. For comparison, N95 masks, which are out of stock in much of the world, can cost around $40.
Since April, the campaign to build the BioVyzr has raised $295,367 as of Tuesday on Indiegogo. The first batch of shields is set to ship out to early Indiegogo backers by the end of the month, the company told backers as recently as June 5.
Here’s how it works.
The shield is made of Neoprene and vinyl, with an anti-fogging face shield.
It has an N95 air filter, and a fan that lasts up to 12 hours to purify air.
Fans draw in outside air through N95 filters while also filtering out air from inside the shield.
The airtight seal prevents pathogens from getting in, but is also functional in all weather as a kind of rain coat and hood.
Including the battery pack, the BioVyzr weighs about three pounds.
Like non-medical face masks, BioVyzr prevents the wearer from touching their face and spreading their own germs, while it also protects the wearer like an N95 mask.
There is one child size and one adult size, each with adjustable straps.
It has hooks for attaching hand sanitizer, and a USB port to charge the suit while wearing it.
The transparent face shield portion allows for peripheral vision and visibility.
Vyzr actually developed two BioVyzrs, one for healthcare workers, and one for everyone else. For every regular mask purchase, the company will donate one to healthcare workers.
Vyzr suggests wearing the shield in all kinds of situations, including airports, public transportation, at work, and more.
