A first-year B Tech student from Kerala’s Thrissur Government Engineering College has invented a mask that comes with a microphone and a speaker to help health workers communicate with ease. Kevin Jacob, a son of two doctors said that he invented the mask after he saw his parents having difficulty communicating with each other. 

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“My parents are doctors and since the beginning of the pandemic, they have been struggling to communicate with their patients. They found it very difficult to make themselves clear through multiple layers of masks and a face shield. This was when this idea came to my mind," Jacob told ANI.

After designing the first iteration of the mask, he tested it with his parents - Dr Senoj KC and Dr Jyoti Mary Jose. Soon after, the demand for a mask with a microphone and a speaker increased and Jacob started to make more. The mask can be used for up to six hours on a thirty-minute charge and the microphone is attached using a magnet. 

"Doctors who have given feedback have said that they don't have to strain to be heard and they were able to communicate with their patients effortlessly. Overall the feedback from users has been positive," he said.

The mask is a true innovation that helps many healthcare workers during their daily battle with COVID-19. Jacob is now looking for companies that can fund his project and help produce the mask on a mass scale. 

© Kevin Jacob

"I have made over 50 such devices which are being used by doctors mainly in south India. Currently, I do not have the capital or equipment to mass produce these devices. But if somebody or a large company is willing to help me with this little project, I believe it could help a lot of people," he said.

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