Smart Safe Science gets provincial funding to make masks

Ontario-based medical technology manufacturer Smart Safe Science is receiving CAD 2m (~€1.26m) from the provincial government to produce innovative face masks for healthcare and frontline workers in the fight against COVID-19.

Smart Safe Science, headquartered in Bracebridge, will create 50 local jobs and, when at full capacity, produce 200,000 masks monthly for the region, according to Canadian Plastics.

A subsidiary of electronic interface maker True North Printed Plastics, Smart Safe Science plans to make a face mask that is lighter and more breathable to help avoid the common fatigue from wearing other types of masks for a prolonged period of time. Called the 3S SmartMask, the device features a transparent shell that conforms to the wearer’s facial structure to provide greater comfort and protection; and uses disposable, replaceable NIOSH 95+ certified filters to provide maximum airflow and minimum waste for landfills.

The mask also comes with attachments that monitor body temperature while the person is wearing the mask, to allow the user to connect a smart device in the mask to their phone using an app that will transmit critical real-time data about the user’s health status.

As part of the development of the mask, Smart Safe said it drew upon technical expertise at several Ontario universities, including Lakehead University, Laurentian University, McMaster University, and the University of Toronto.

The funding for the project is being made available via the province’s $50-million Ontario Together Fund, which is helping businesses to retool to produce COVID-19 PPE solutions.

Smart Safe also said it plans to purchase additional equipment and expand its facilities in Bracebridge.