Vietnamese students’ coronavirus-proof helmet wins top-10 award

The coronavirus-proof helmet, invented by two Vietnamese students, ranked in the top 10 of the fifth ICAN international creative contest, VnExpress reported.

Vihelm, a helmet-style mask, has been designed by  the twoVietnamese students based on the gas mask mechanism to prevent viral infection, including coronavirus.

Two young authors (left) and their teacher check a Vihelm. Photo: P. Nam

The helmet, invented by Do Trong Minh Duc, an 11th-grader of the US’s Montverde Academy, and Tran Nguyen Khanh An, an 8th-grader at the Hanoi Academy International Bilingual School, has reached the final round of the ICAN international creative contest.

This year's contest attracted 600 submissions from 60 countries. The main prizes were awarded by a multinational jury, including championship, runner-up, top 10, top 20, women's award, youth award, technology design award, and presentation. Vihelm was awarded the top 10 in technology design.

"Vihelm", which stands for "Vietnam's anti-pandemic helmet", is designed to protect the respiratory system, prevent viral infections while ensuring comfort and convenience for users to improve productivity during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The idea of ​​Vihelm is based on an air purifier (breathing machine and anti-gas mask), the Powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR), but with more simple structure.

The helmet is fitted with gloves for users to scratch on their face when feeling itchy, wipe drops of sweat, and sneeze. It ensures comfort, safety and shield from the coronavirus. Especially, the helmet has a cavity inside which can contain food, enabling users to eat and drink when working in condition of disease prevention.

With a Vihelm, users could not only avoid cross-infections, but also ensure their normal working operations. Suspicious Covid-19 people could still go to work without having to undergo quarantine. Vihelm has been upgraded to the second version, with gloves made by a fabric of the same material of medical mask. The helmet, thus, is more compact.

ICAN has been annually held by TISIAS, an organization based in Canada, since 2016 with a view to supporting students, inventors, innovators, entrepreneurs and researchers around the world to promote innovative ideas and projects, present viable business opportunities, and support industrial growth.

The contest opens opportunities for cooperation and association for inventors to exchange ideas with organizations around the world.