ANU MakerSpace produces protective equipment for health care workers
Channel: ANU TV
Date: 30/04/2020

The Australian National University (ANU) is helping to ensure health workers have adequate supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE) amid the coronavirus pandemic, by coordinating the production of thousands of face shields and masks.

The ANU MakerSpace has produced 2,000 face shields, and is preparing to make another 15,000 as required. 

They have also created a prototype face mask that volunteers are sewing and returning to ANU to be sterilised and made ready for use by people working in non-frontline health services, such as pathology labs. They have enough volunteers and material to make about 2,000 face masks.

Dr John Debs, who is the founder of the MakerSpace, said the personal protective equipment would be provided to health workers in the ACT and NSW free of charge.

The ANU MakerSpace, which has 1,400 members including students, academics and professional staff from various disciplines, is an initiative founded and led by the Research School of Physics, and joined by both the School of Art and Design and the Research School Electrical, Energy and Materials Engineering at ANU. 

ANU MakerSpace is a community and facility where people can learn by doing to support their research, education or personal interest.