Abstract: An ethylene oxide sterilization sensor, and method of use, wherein the sensor includes: a heat-shrinkable film; an acid-functional porous sorbent in thermal contact with the heat-shrinkable film; and an acid having a boiling point above 120° C. and a pKa of no greater than 2.5, wherein the acid is impregnated in or covalently attached to the porous sorbent.

Abstract: There is provided a fit testing method comprising: providing a respirator donned by a wearer; providing a sensor in electrical communication with a sensing element, where the sensor is configured to monitor a particulate concentration parameter of a gas space within the respirator, and a second particulate concentration parameter of a gas space outside the respirator, where the sensor is attached to the respirator such that the respirator such that the weight of the sensor is supported by the respirator; and providing a reader configured to communicate with the sensor, where the reader is configured to provide a respirator fit parameter based on a comparison of the particulate concentration within the respirator to the particulate concentration parameter outside the respirator.

Abstract: A system includes a respirator, a sensor including a sensing element, and a reader configured to be in wireless communication with the sensor. The sensor is positioned substantially within an interior gas space of the respirator.

Abstract: A method for determining personal protective equipment (PPE) comfort for an individual wearer includes defining a first anatomical shape data representative of an anatomical area of the individual wearer prior to donning a PPE, a second anatomical shape data representative of the anatomical area of the individual wearer after donning the PPE, and comparing the first anatomical shape data with the second anatomical shape data. The method further includes determining a soft skin tissue deformation at a plurality of predetermined anatomical positions based on the comparison between the first anatomical shape data and the second anatomical shape data, and determining a displacement comfort threshold (CTd) value based on the soft skin tissue deformation. The method also includes determining a pressure pain threshold (PPT) value, and determining a comfort metric based on the PPT values and the CTd values. The method also includes generating a notification corresponding to the comfort metric.

Abstract: Electret webs include a thermoplastic resin and a charge-enhancing additive. The charge-enhancing additive is a substituted- or unsubstituted benzoate salt. The substituted benzoate salts are substituted by a hydroxyl group. The substituted-benzoate salt may have a divalent metal countercation.

Abstract: Flexible electrical connectors are provided to electrically connect electronic devices. The flexible electrical connector includes a removable adhesive tape strip having an adhesive surface thereof and an electrically conductive trace disposed on the adhesive tape strip. The flexible electrical connector engages an electronic device to form an electrical contact where the adhesive tape strip has an adhesive surface removably adhesively bonded to the substrate of the electronic device to at least partially cover the electrical contact.

Abstract: A ring-shaped cushion for a hearing protector or audio headset. The cushion has a circumferential contact pad for sealing on a wearer's head and an attachment for sealing with an earmuff. The cushion further has a sound insulation tube that inwardly defines an inner space. The sound insulation tube extends between the contact pad and the attachment. The cushion has a ventilation passage that extends entirely through the cushion between an inlet opening in the contact pad and an area outside of the inner space. The cushion may further include one or more physiological sensors to monitor the health of a wearer.

Abstract: A method of fit testing includes providing a respirator; providing a sensor having a sensing element removably positioned substantially within an interior gas space of the respirator; providing a reader configured to be in wireless communication with the sensor; positioning the respirator over a mouth and a nose of a user while the sensor is positioned substantially within an interior gas space of the respirator; and observing respirator fit assessment data communicated from the sensor to the reader.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an ethylene oxide sterilization sensor and method of use. The sensor includes: at least one thermal indicator component independently selected from an electronic thermal sensor, an irreversible temperature indicator, and a heat-shrinkable film; an acid-functional porous sorbent or an acid-functional nonwoven fibrous substrate in thermal contact with the at least one thermal indicator component; and an acid having a boiling point above 120° C. and a pKa of no greater than 2.5. The acid is impregnated in or covalently attached to the porous sorbent or is covalently attached to the nonwoven fibrous substrate. The sensor includes at least one of the electronic thermal sensor, the irreversible temperature indicator, or the acid-functional nonwoven fibrous substrate.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an ammonia sensor and method of use. The sensor includes: at least one thermal indicator component independently selected from an electronic thermal sensor, an irreversible temperature indicator, and a heat-shrinkable film; an acid-functional porous sorbent in thermal contact with the at least one thermal indicator component; and an acid having a boiling point above 120° C. and a pKa of no greater than 2.5. The acid is impregnated in or covalently attached to the porous sorbent. The method includes: placing an ammonia sensor in contact with a container holding a volume of ammonia; and monitoring the ammonia sensor for a detectable response from the at least one thermal indicator component due to contact of ammonia with the acid that generates thermal energy sufficient to cause the response.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a hydrogen peroxide sterilization sensor and method of use. The sensor includes: at least one thermal indicator component independently selected from an electronic thermal sensor, an irreversible temperature indicator, and a heat-shrinkable film; a reactant-functional porous sorbent in thermal contact (which may or may not be direct physical contact) with the at least one thermal indicator component; and a reactant comprising a material that reacts exothermically with hydrogen peroxide. The reactant is impregnated in the porous sorbent. The method includes: providing a hydrogen peroxide sterilization sensor; allowing hydrogen peroxide to contact the reactant to generate thermal energy sufficient to cause a response from the at least one thermal indicator component; and detecting that conditions for the hydrogen peroxide sterilization have been met.

Abstract: A sensing element includes a substrate including an electrically non-conductive surface, at least one high surface energy region, and an electrode pair structure disposed on the electrically non-conductive surface. The electrode pair structure includes at least one pair of electrodes having a gap therebetween. At least one of the electrodes is at least partially within the at least one high surface energy region. The sensing element is configured to sense fluid-soluble particulate matter.

Abstract: Flexible electrical connectors are provided to electrically connect electronic devices. The flexible electrical connector includes a removable adhesive tape strip having an adhesive surface thereof and an electrically conductive trace disposed on the adhesive tape strip. The flexible electrical connector engages an electronic device to form an electrical contact where the adhesive tape strip has an adhesive surface removably adhesively bonded to the substrate of the electronic device to at least partially cover the electrical contact.

Abstract: In some examples, a system includes a respirator configured to be worn by a user; a sensor operatively coupled to the respirator; and a computing device comprising a memory and one or more computer processors, the memory comprising instructions that when executed by the one or more computer processors cause the one or more computer processors to: in response to receiving data from the sensor, determine, during at least one action that is performed by the user and that corresponds to at least one graphical element, that the fit test was not satisfied; determine, based at least in part on particular context data associated with the fit test, at least one remedial recommendation to satisfy the fit test; and output for display the at least one remedial recommendation to satisfy the fit test.

Abstract: In some examples, a system includes a respirator; a sensor operatively coupled to the respirator comprising: an electric circuit configured to determine a change in at least one electrical characteristic of a sensing element, wherein the change in the at least one electrical characteristic is based at least in part on detection of a particulate matter; and a computing device configured to: output for display at least one graphical element in a set of graphical elements; in response to receiving the data that is based at least in part on the change in the at least one electrical characteristic of the sensing element, determine, without counting particles of the particulate matter, whether the fit test was satisfied; and in response to the determination whether the fit test was satisfied, perform at least one operation that is based at least in part on the determination whether the fit test was satisfied.

Abstract: There is provided a computing device comprising: at least one processor; and a memory comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to: receive first sensor data indicative of a gas characteristic in a sealed space formed by a face of a wearer and a negative pressure reusable respirator; receive second sensor data indicative of a position of at least one valve in the negative pressure reusable respirator; determine comparative data by comparing the first sensor data to the second sensor data; and perform one or more actions in response to the comparative data. There is also provided a system using such computing device.

Abstract: A system includes a negative pressure reusable respirator configured to be worn by a worker and to cover at least a mouth and a nose of the worker, a sensor configured to generate sensor data indicative of a characteristic of air within a work environment, and at least one computing device. The negative pressure reusable respirator includes at least one contaminant capture device configured to remove contaminants from air as the air is drawn through the contaminant capture device when the worker inhales. The at least one contaminant capture device is configured to be removable from the negative pressure reusable respirator. The at least one computing device configured to determine whether the at least one contaminant capture device is due for replacement, and perform one or more actions in response to determining the at least one contaminant capture device is due for replacement.

Abstract: There is provided a computing device comprising: at least one processor; and a memory comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to: receive data indicative of a gas characteristic in a sealed space formed by a face of the wearer and a negative pressure reusable respirator; determine performance of a respirator seal check by the wearer; determine that the negative pressure reusable respirator is being worn by a wearer; perform one or more actions in response to determining that the respirator is being worn by the wearer and the wearer has not performed a respirator seal check that satisfies one or more safety rules; and alter the one or more actions in response to determining that the negative pressure reusable respirator is being worn by the wearer and the wearer has performed a respirator seal check that satisfies one or more safety rules. There is also provided a system using such computing device.

Abstract: An ethylene oxide sterilization sensor, and method of use, wherein the sensor includes: a heat-shrinkable film; an acid-functional porous sorbent in thermal contact with the heat-shrinkable film; and an acid having a boiling point above 120° C. and a pKa of no greater than 2.5, wherein the acid is impregnated in or covalently attached to the porous sorbent.

Abstract: A sensing element includes a substrate including an electrically non-conductive surface, at least one high surface energy region, and an electrode pair structure disposed on the electrically non-conductive surface. The electrode pair structure includes at least one pair of electrodes having a gap therebetween. At least one of the electrodes is at least partially within the at least one high surface energy region. The sensing element is configured to sense fluid-soluble particulate matter.