LuxMea Studio has been working with doctors from the Massachusetts General Hospital and the chief medical officer from Steward Health Care in Massachusetts to develop a series of 3D printed masks that reduce leakage and gaps with an individualized fit. The studio has developed a system using algorithms to automatically adjust the mask to match any face profile so that when it is printed it creates a sealed fit that is specifically unique to the person wearing it.

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LuxMea is a small studio based in Boston and Toronto, and in the past two years, the team has been working with Autodesk under its residency program to develop a system of mass customization through a variety of projects for architecture, interior design, and public art.

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The studio hopes to bring their most recent project to life with the help of a Kickstarter campaign which is focused on a more public approach that looks at air quality and pollution. While the masks they are working on with medical professionals provide a case for productions that respond rapidly in times of emergency, the public approach aims to provide a long term strategy that can deliver on comfort, customization, and style. The latter aims for a higher-end approach to address fundamental problems of existing masks while also looking at design through the lens of fashion. Each mask is reusable, washable and paired with replaceable filters, and can be labeled with customized messages or printed in different colors depending on your style of choice.

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For both strategies, LuxMea has partnered with Shapeways to ensure that each production can be streamlined and printed efficiently with minimum material and energy use. The team believes that 3D printing can be used as an example of alternative production power in order to remedy an urgent situation. And with the help of medical professionals, the studio hopes that it can respond to the pandemic rapidly enough to make a difference.