Design Solutions to Improve Medical Protective Equipment During COVID-19 Pandemic

Giraldi, L.; Maini, M.; Morelli, F.

The current pandemic situation caused by SARS-Cov-2 has highlighted that collaboration between different sectors can represent a winning way for emergency management. However, even today, the design is often considered an “aesthetic” element and not a strong strategic instrument able to bring innovation to different sectors. This paper, therefore, proposes to highlight how design can be a strategic medium during such situations. The research aims to identify and strategic design solutions to improve first responders’ comfort and well-being during the emergency of COVID 19, referring in particular to the medical personnel employed on the frontline during the pandemic. The research investigated the aspects related to the specific scenario of the COVID19 pandemic emergency through different interviews and questionnaires with health workers and a co-working activity with design students. The co-working activity with design students aimed to individuate new technologies and innovative material in relation with health operators’ needs and proposed innovative design solutions of PPE. Finally, the research proposed a set of open rules for designing innovative medical PPE to be used during a pandemic, considering the communication aspects in order to improve final user’s comfort. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.