Welcome to The Three Mask-eteers
At The Three Mask-eteers, our mission is to harness the power of innovation to make a real difference in the lives of those who need it most. Born out of the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, our team came together with a shared purpose: to create life-changing solutions through technology and compassion.
Our Journey
When the world was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, we found ourselves at home, like many others, faced with uncertainty and a desire to help. Motivated by a pediatric intensivist on the frontlines, we learned about the critical shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) that healthcare workers were facing. With the knowledge that vulnerable patients and healthcare heroes alike were at risk, we set out to make a difference. We began by designing and 3D-printing a prototype of an N95 mask, ensuring it was comfortable and effective for those who needed it the most.
Changing Lives
Our dedication to helping others extended beyond PPE. We had the incredible opportunity to assist a 6-year-old refugee from Venezuela who lost most of his right hand in a tragic car accident. Working closely with his prosthetist, we designed and delivered a wrist-driven partial hand prosthesis that has changed his life. The moment he put on his new hand and began to play catch was a moment that reminded us why we do what we do.In addition to these efforts, we’ve also explored innovative communication methods, like RPM (Rapid Prompting Method) boards, to assist non-speaking individuals in expressing themselves.
Our Impact
From creating essential PPE to designing prosthetics that give children a second chance, The Three Mask-eteers are committed to using our skills and resources to empower others. Our work has been recognized with honors like the First Lady’s Rising Star Award at the 37th annual Governor’s Volunteer Awards in 2020, and we continue to strive for excellence in every project we undertake.
Join Us
Whether you’re here to learn more about our story, support our mission, or explore how you can get involved, we welcome you to join us on this journey. From scientific curiosity to innovative production, our products can be your solution. Together, we can create solutions that change lives and inspire hope for a better future.
Meet Our Team
A Bit of Background
We, the 3 Mask-eteers are a team of 3 enterprising engineers.Praneel Bhagavatula, a senior at Shadow Creek High School
Karthik Bhagavatula, a sophomore at UT Dallas
Amar Sehgal, a senior at UC Berkeley,
Our Initiative
Hello, we are the Three Mask-eteers. Like most other children, we had been sitting at home, a little bored because our respective schools were shut down due to COVID-19.
We were even more unhappy to hear that the the 2020 Texas Science and Engineering Fair in which we had been selected to participate, was canceled due to the lockdown from the virus.
Amar's mother is a pediatric intensivist, working as a front line provider in these difficult times. One day he overheard her talking about the possibility of running out of masks and other PPEs if the number of hospitalized patients overwhelmed the available supplies. She mentioned how afraid some doctors and nurses were in Seattle and New York, who were having to take care of these patients with rationed supplies. Some of them were unable to come home as they were afraid of infecting their families. Also, there were patients in Houston and elsewhere that were at high risk of getting sick from COVID-19, but did not have the ability to protect themselves.
Our research indicated that high risk people were trying to protect themselves either with cloth coverings, or with 3D printed face-shields. We felt that this was not enough protection for vulnerable people against this dangerous virus. Hence, we came up with the idea to 3-D print a prototype resembling the N95 masks, the highest quality of masks meant to protect high-risk people at risk of getting COVID-19.
RPM Boards
Rapid Prompting Method(RPM)
RPM (Rapid Prompting Method) is a pseudoscientific technique that attempts to assist communication by letter identification for non-speaking spellers.
Board Design
We designed and 3D printed the boards (A-M and N-Z) with sturdy material (PLA2 and PETG filaments). These boards are convenient to hold and can help translate, communicate identifying the letters. We partnered with SpellYourVoice organization to identify the needs and help understand autistic individuals to spell their voice.
Masks
Design
We also realized that we didn’t have the resources to print disposable masks for every patient. Instead, we put our own unique spin on the design. We decided to create a base mask that could be easily sanitized and reused. We then sourced small, disposable filters that could be easily replaced and provided in bulk.. These filters could be replaced on the mask as needed, and had the same porosity as commercially available N95 masks. The design allows the filter replacements to be very fast and simple, so as to not tax the minds of the patients or first responders who are already knee-deep taking care of coronavirus patients.
Filters
The filters meet HEPA filtration standard of 99.7% efficiency at 0.3 microns. A small 2 inch square of filter fabric can be replaced every 2-3 days, or daily if required. The masks were fit tested and aerosol tested, similar to any N95 mask testing.
3D printed Prosthetics
This 3D printed prosthetic is a mechanically operated hand that opens and closes based on the user's wrist movements. These prosthetics are cost-effective and economical to fabricate, greatly assisting those without insurance or access to high-cost prosthetics.
A Successful Story of Our Prosthetic Design - Helping Hand
The boy we helped is a 6-year-old refugee from Venezuela. It took this boy and his family one month to get to Colorado from Mexico, but when they were 5 hours away from Colorado, he was in a near-fatal car accident. That was when this 6-year-old boy lost the majority of his right hand. Our organization got connected with the boy and his prosthetist Amy Ginsburg, a Certified Prosthetist/Orthotist who works at Children’s Hospital in Aurora, CO.
Since this boy has full wrist motion and enough of his hand to be able to work a prosthesis, we decided on a wrist-driven partial hand prosthesis. We were sent a 3D scan of the boy's right arm to design the partial hand prosthesis. To achieve this, we utilized a 3D scan to render the parts of the prosthesis. This allows the hand to close when the boy flexes his wrist.
The boy was being treated at Children’s Hospital Colorado located in Denver. We were able to meet the patient at the hospital and fit the prototype we made. Our reaction to the function of the device was priceless. This 6-year-old shy boy completely changed once he put the 3D-printed prosthesis on. He was able to pick up objects and play catch with a ball, all actions he couldn’t do without a prosthetic hand. Some modifications needed to be made to the prototype, and a second prosthesis required to be printed.
We were able to make the necessary changes and ship it to Denver. This was a difficult task considering how small this patient’s hand was, as the prosthesis design was originally made for adults. Both times, we rendered the parts utilizing a 3D design software, printed the parts, and assembled the prosthesis. The newly assembled device arrived in Denver and fit the boy perfectly.
He is currently attending occupational therapy to familiarize himself with using the new prosthetic hand for day-to-day tasks like eating with a spoon and writing with a marker, preparing him for his first year of school.
Awards and Accolades
- First Lady’s Rising Star Award, 37th annual Governor’s Volunteer Awards 2020
- Recognition by Congressman Pete Olson, page 39, The Congressional Record
- The Certificate of Congressional Recognition by Congressman Pete Olson, 22nd Congressional District of Texas
- The Resolution/commendation recognition by State Representative Ed Thompson
- The Ronald Powell Jr. Industrial Hygienist Award for outstanding achievement & innovation in occupational health By Dr. Adrienne Scruggs.
- Recognized as GB Kid Preneurs By Greater Businesses of Pearland
Please follow the links below for coverage about our effort.
- Media Coverage By ABC 13 on 5/7/20
- Media Coverage By Fox News on 4/4/20
- Article Published, AlvinISD
- Article Published, Rice University
- Robonation, Skills Learned from SeaPerch
- Social media Coverage- Pearland Police Department
- City of Pearland- Pearland PSA
- Article Published, Community Impact
- Article Published, Indo American News
- Social Media Coverage - Pearland Councilman Luke Orlando
- Article Published, resolutions from state Rep. Ed Thompson
- Article Published, resolutions from state Rep. Ed Thompson
- Article Published, Pearland Journal
- Podcast with Sinthum Talks with Talent
Contact Us
Get in Touch
General Inquiries/Collaborations and Partnerships
Email: threeMasketeers2020@gmail.comSupport Our Mission
If you’d like to support our work, consider making a donation or exploring our products and services. Your contribution helps us continue to innovate and provide life-changing solutions to those who need them most.Donate: Donation link
Let’s Innovate Together
Have an idea, a question, or a challenge that needs solving? We’re eager to hear from you. Please email threeMasketeers2020@gmail.com, and a member of our team will get back to you as soon as possible.
Thank you for your interest in The Three Mask-eteers! Together, we can create solutions that change lives.