AIRWAL
Bio-safety aspirator for a post-pandemic dining experience.
Finalist Covid-19 Innovation Grant International Design Awards
Airwal has been specifically designed to avoid the risk of contagions and the spread of infections during the pandemic and post-pandemic times, taking into account the physical and psychological health of the users fighting against the effects of isolation. Indeed, during the quarantine period, people are fighting against the physical and psychic effects of isolation. Researchers stated that isolation can be as damaging as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. I decided to face this problem during such an unprecedented moment which is greatly limiting our moments of shared interactions. The inspiration for this design concept is represented by the scientists and biologists working in labs with the constant risk of exposure to harmful substances such as airborne in a particulate form. I combined the bio-safety cabinet and the cooking hoods concept in a product which can be integrated into any kind of environment.
Airwal can capture saliva particles and water vapours, which are potential carriers of various pathogens, maintaining a clean and sanitised environment. The housing of the product is aluminium. Its operation is done through the use of an aspirator combined with a high-efficiency air filter positioned in the centre of the structure, which captures at least 99.97% of dust, pollen, mould, bacteria and any airborne particles with a size of 0.125 microns in diameter. The product is consequently able to release a sanitised airflow through the atmosphere. Furthermore, in collaboration with experts, the team has calculated the required capacity and power of the fan to aspire medium-large saliva droplets. Indeed, when we are eating, talking or sneezing, droplets of saliva are coming out from our body potentially infecting other people. Thanks to its operation, Airwal acts as an invisible barrier between the virus and users, making possible again their interactions.
In these challenging times, which are limiting our moments of sharing, it is really important to have the opportunity to undertake an experience to the full without the fear of infecting each other. Indeed, during the quarantine period, people are fighting against the psychic and physical effects of isolation. With this solution, two Italian designers want to face the importance of shared times during daily rituals such as dining together, imagining the future of interactions and restaurant experiences in a post-pandemic scenario.
