Design Firm Creates Coronavirus Protection Suit for Concerts + Events
A California design firm has proposed a coronavirus protection suit for concertgoers to wear at live events and music festivals in a world with COVID-19. The "Micrashell," as it's called, was dreamed up by California's Production Club — it includes a futuristic helmet, filtration system and LED lighting accents.
Last week (May 23), News 4 New York highlighted the "wearable, technology-driven personal coronavirus protection suit" that the design firm hopes will get audiences back to enjoying concerts together. In a video from the broadcast, seen below, the suit's designer outlines the basics of the protective device.
"Micrashell is a solution for bringing people together [safely]," offers Miguel Risueno, Production Club's head of inventions. "It's a half suit that kind of takes your safety and your security in terms of being close to airborne particles or viruses to the next level."
Production Club mainly focuses on stage design and immersive experiences in technology, music and gaming. But when presented with an opportunity to help solve the issue of holding large gatherings amid social-distancing suggestions, the design firm got to work on the protective suit.
"How can we bring events, how can we bring socialization back in?" Risueno asks. "How can we help the industry not die? We said we still need to find a solution because people are still going out. People are still going to party and still skipping social distance measures."
Certainly, partying was of clear concern for the suit. Not only does it feature an N95 breathing filter, but the device can also accommodate snap-in canisters for both vaping and drinking. ("It's another thing you don't need to remove the helmet for," the designer says of the attachments.)
Risueno's plan is that audience members would rent the suit from a venue, and the venue would be responsible for sanitizing the suit after each use.
But the question remains if concertgoers would actually wear such a device to a live event. Last week, a first-of-its-kind concert in Arkansas went ahead with strict social-distancing measures in place. Meanwhile, states across the U.S. this month are starting to allow some events to resume.
Coronavirus Concert Protection Suit on News 4 New York - May 23, 2020
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