12-year-old boy invented devices to protect ear pain when wearing a mask

Receiving help from a local hospital when the medical staff here suffered severe ear pain when wearing a regular mask, 12-year-old boy Quinn Callander lived in the suburbs of Vancouver, Canada invented ear-proof device with 3D printer .

Quinn Callander is at the side of a 3D printer printing his own ear protectors. (Photo: HEATHER RONEY / Canada).

The design of this strap was shared by the boy on the open source community in 3D Thingiverse from March 27. So far, this design has been downloaded more than 57,000 times by the community to give to health workers who are using masks around the world.

Wearing a mask is essential to limit the spread of Covid-19, especially to health workers, when they are in direct contact with the source of the illness. But most of the market masks are not specifically designed. When wearing a mask all day, it will put pressure on the head and cause friction with the ears.

He made some designs, and with his 3D printer, he produced a plastic strap around the back of his head. The strap has grooves so that the wearer can loop the elastic straps of the mask into whatever groove they feel most comfortable with, allowing them to adjust the tension to keep the respirator secure on the face.

Anti-ear strap design. (Photo: Quinn Callander / Thingiverse).

Callander boy provided the strap design for users to download from the Thingiverse open source 3D printing community. Since the end of March, he has produced more than 2,300 bands, and more than 1,800 were brought to hospitals in the Vancouver area. A Callander volunteer team has also produced 9,800 additional bands for distribution to other places.

Share on Thingiverse, Callander boy pointed out that this strap is a good way for people with 3D printers to contribute their efforts to help the community against Covid-19. These straps are made from polylactic acid, the most commonly used plastic material for 3D printing and is quite cheap. 'So contact your local hospitals, health care facilities, ask if this will help them and use your printer and take action!' , Callander wrote on his Thingiverse post.

Many people around the world left comments and said they were thankful to the boy for designing this type of strap. Users with the PteJack account said they tried three different designs for the strap type, and this is the best one. He printed the strap and was really appreciated by the staff at his medical office and his wife.

Below is a variety of color images of the strap printed by volunteers around the world to give medical staff, and the satisfaction of the doctors and doctors when using this strap.