Covid19 design & culture Timeline 2020 • March 11: NBA canceled games, began Safer-at-home era • Senior facilities closed, playgrounds closed, First Responders name replaced with Essential Workers • April: Wear mask in close public • April 17: Develop Covid case • May: Restore lunch, coffee, dinner with friends (sat outside) • May: Playgrounds open, restraunt interiors open • May 25-26: Made Face Mask • May 29-30: Made Face Shield 2021 • Febuary 8-15: Installed the Car Mask Rack August: surge, wear masks again Covid Case In addition to using hand sanitizer and wipes, it was recommended to wear masks when distancing wasn't possible or convenient. Now, the amount of stuff was getting cumbersome. To ease the routine, I used an existing small carry bag to hold everything. I kept the Case by the door so I could grab it as I left the house. Contents: Water bottle (so I don't have to touch a water fountain or a glass), Canister of sanitizing wipes, Bottle of hand sanitizer, face masks. Developed April 17 2020 Face Masks When it became apparent that we would need to wear face masks, I searched for one that I would enjoy wearing. I preferred the 'bra style' over the rectangle pleat style. It seemed to fit better over the nose and chin. I considered drawing a mouth or skeleton teeth on the standard mask. Frank thought of the notion of printing mouths from classic artwork - Mona Lisa, American Gothic, David, Migrant Woman, etc. May 6 2020, at Walmart, I noticed kid's teeshirts with cartoon icons - Mickey, Donald, Goofy, and Tom & Jerry. I bought 2 shirts and took them to Gail to sew in the 'bra' style mask. I bought elastic bands and clasps to go behind the head - the over the ear elastic was uncomfortable. Then I assembled the parts with super glue and blacked out parts of Tom & Jerry to emphasize Tom's mouth. Developed May 25-26 2020 May 2021: I noticed some name-brand masks on a subway ad: Face Shields The mask is a bit too stifling to wear for long periods. The face shield makes more sense - the mouth is visible to aid hearing comprehension and breathing is freer. But, most current shields look too 'medical' or industrial. I wondered if the acetate shield could be adhered to a cap or visor. I chose a visor because it would be cooler in the summer. I used velcro to adhere the shield, repositionable, adaptable to different sizes of shields, and removable to restore a normal visor. Online, I bought a black visor with no visible logos, brands, or decorations. Developed May 29-30 2020 Below right: A version with no visor, better countoured to face, and in a color that is a closer match to my skin. Mask rack in the car I keep 3 Covid masks in my car - for different environments and looks (beige, black, and a grey stripe pattern). After a few months of throwing my mask onto the passenger seat, the seat was looking sloppy and when I put another item on the seat, it would crush a mask or cover them up. I needed to get the masks off the seat. Solution Hanging them off the mirror wasn't great - there were 3 of them and they would block some of my view. I explored an elastic belt that goes around the seatback and has 3 hooks attached. I bought some elastic at a craft/fabric store and ordered the hooks from Amazon. Advantages • Convenient storage of masks. Can be installed facing forward or the belt slid around back (or easily removed) to allow seating. I'm not sure the band needs the buckle - but, the buckle would make it more adaptable to a variety of seat widths. • Allows masks to dry out. • Allows masks to stay isolated from other objects on the seat for better isolating/sanitizing. • The mask rack allows easy selection and storage placement. • The black color of each component matches the seat upholstery and car interior. Dates • November - January 2021: Frustration with storing masks in the car. • Febuary 8: Idea; Ordered hooks, bought elastic and buckle. • Febuary 12: Built prototype, tested in car. • Febuary 15: Installed the Car Mask Rack. Fun activity Say out loud, Mask Rack, 3 times real fast. If you can say it 3 times correctly, you might not be speaking fast enough. www.jamesrobertwatson.com/design-covid.html