Journal of Student Research 2019

Journal of Student Research 152 everyday exposure to pollution. Most of these deaths occurred in low- and middle- income countries such as Southeast Asia and Western Pacific regions. Wearable technology is known for regulating changes in the human body and alerting the users when abnormal activity occurs. The goal of this study is to find a small-scale wearable solution that protects users from the harmful airborne pollutants. It will attempt to discover what needs commuters have that can be incorporated into this device to benefit them as broadly as possible. I will develop best practices will be developed for implementing wearable technology focused on protecting commuters in urban settings from pollution. This project involves a series of interview questions asked to individuals that have experienced the use of a face mask whether it was intended for the protection from pollution or other health related uses. A device worn on the body can allow existing technologies to be more directly integrated with the user. The most commonly seen face masks worn in public are surgical face masks usually given to ill patients to stop the spread of contagious sicknesses. Another primary goal of this research study was to determine why face masks are viewed as unnecessary and identify ways to improve this perceived stereotype. Americans like to blend into the crowd rather than stand out, and I want to understand the reasoning. They dress very inconspicuously and usually only wear things that are on trend. Some avoid loud, colorful clothing or anything that will bring them any attention, negative or positive. Headphones have become more of an easy way to avoid conversations on public transportation as they imply that commuters are preoccupied. Finding behavioral gestures like this is important because it’s considered accidental design. This is when a designer means for an object to achieve one thing, but it actually achieves another. In Egli’s (2015) article on how surgical masks became a fashion statement; he states that people in Japan are wearing facemask to cover their makeup less faces when they’re not wearing makeup like how Americans wear hats to cover bad hair. This is merely for convenience reasons; therefore, I want to explore these types of mannerisms because there are surrounding problems that can also be addressed when designing a product for a specific issue.

Wearable Technology and Its Benefits in Urban Settings on their everyday commutes in high trafficked areas. The particle matter (PM) and exposure to pollutants were measured through the relation between heart rate and minute ventilation. The data was collected from individuals who commuted by car, bus, walking, and on bike. The method of collection included measuring the inhalation rate and heart rate of an individual and collected Particle samples were for a total of 1000 hours during 47 separate weekdays. This approach in collecting data during a specific time frame allowed for the possibility of finding trends in the data. Researchers found that PM exposures were highest in diesel buses (38,500 particles/ cm 3 ) and for cyclists along the high-traffic intensity route (46,600 particles/cm 3 ) and lowest in electric buses (29,200 particles/cm 3 ). They also found that cyclist’s minute ventilation (volume of air per minute) was twice the rate of inhalation of those commuting by bus or car. It was concluded that commuters that commute who used bicycles inhaled two times the amount of pollution compared to the average person. Existing portable pollution protection devices that are currently in use include the ubiquitous and inexpensive surgical face mask. In Yang’s (2014) article, it was noted that Asian populations used face masks for a number of reasons. Geographically, it was due to the increasing number of factories and pollution in East Asian countries. Thus, the use of face masks has become more of a cultural norm for this specific population. The average American generally wears such masks only in isolated or extreme conditions, conversely, as a response to airborne contagions. In addition, masks are primarily used as a reactive measure once an individual becomes sick, rather than a preventative step to avoid contracting the illness at its onset. This is where the cultural differences are most apparent. Looking at Japan’s history during the 20th Century when a massive pandemic of influenza killed about 20 to 40 million people around the world, scarves, veils, and masks were commonly used as face coverings to ward off the disease. This influenza pandemic was known as the Spanish flu of 1918 that killed millions around the world, and some 675,000 Americans (Editors, 2010). When the Great Kanto Earthquake struck Japan in the 1918s, the sky was filled with debris and smoke for months afterward, and once again the use of face masks was considered an absolute necessity. This culmination of both natural and cultural events has led to somewhat of a social design revolution. Particulate matter pollution is on the rise and poses a colossal threat to the air quality that humans are breathing. PM pollution consists of micro particles that are released into the air through vehicle exhaust, coal plants, and many other sources. PM is measured from PM 2.5 – PM 10 and anything under PM 2.5 can cause serious health issues, since it can penetrate through human bronchi and lungs. In Liu’s et al. (2015) study, Stanford Associate Professor Yi Cui and his students researched and developed a filtering mesh that blocked out PM 2.5 particles but allowed light through defined as transparent filters. These filters are unique because they allow

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Literature Review Urban areas such as Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles are heavy

populated by both foot and automotive traffic. Commuters that travel every day by foot or bike, motorized or otherwise, are exposing themselves to heavy amounts of air pollutants. In addition, motorized vehicles produce carbon emissions that coalesce and concentrate within the city. A study conducted by Zuurbier et al. (2010) confirmed how different modes of transportation, fuel type, and routes taken can affect a commuter’s health in an urban setting. The study tracked 34 individuals

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