Ford making N95 masks with clear panels to help the deaf and ease communication By Megan Cerullo What type of mask to wear and how to buy it
Ford is using its engineering prowess to solve a thorny coronavirus problem: Designing a medical-grade face mask that reveals wearers facial expressions and also allows hearing-impaired people to read lips. The automaker, which began producing personal protective equipment early on in the coronavirus pandemic, has developed a face mask with clear panels that also filters most airborne particles. In those early days, everyone was learning what it was like to live in a masked environment. We quickly identified that while it s difficult for everybody to wear a mask all day long, for folks suffering from hearing impairment, it s an even bigger challenge, Jim Baumbick, the leader of Ford s PPE manufacturing effort, told CBS MoneyWatch. That inspired us to think about how we could help serve those people because effectively