In response to the high demand for PPE in the healthcare industry due to COVID-19, the UK College of Design has been able to offer its skillset to help produce face shields.

The College of Design has become the hub and point of contact for the design and production of face shields – both the ones that cover the forehead down as well as the ones that go from the neck to the top of the head, each one serving a different purpose to prevent the spread of germs.

Joe Brewer, Director of Facilities in the College of Design, has spearheaded the effort to synchronize members of campus to help with this production. With input from Chief Technology Officer/Associate CIO Jason McReynolds and Assistant Chief Medical Officer for Inpatient Service Dr. Ashley Montgomery-Yates at UK HealthCare, the College of Design developed the prototype and is now working on the final iteration.

Because of the dire need for this PPE, Doug Klein, Director of Innovation Center at the UK College of Engineering, has offered their 3D printing services to the College of Design to make the bands for the face shields.

The College of Design will produce as many face shields as possible until the demand is met or until mass production is possible. Afterward, the College will pivot to the next PPE device that UK Healthcare deems essential.

“The global magnitude of the coronavirus has been daunting, but the silver lining is that we have been able to put product design into practice to offer some much-needed relief, even before our new program launches” said Mitzi Vernon, Dean of the College of Design. “Designers are nimble and can change on the fly to respond to crisis.”