One of the most immediate consequences of the current COVID-19 crisis is the lack of adequate medical supplies, a problem that affects both patients and professionals of the health system. In front of this complex situation, the LibreGuard project is born, a protection screen for healthcare personnel that is being produced voluntarily.
At a cost of 25 euro cents per unit, its design allows large-scale production using only a laser cutter, which greatly streamlines its manufacture and generates a minimum amount of waste. Manufactured from easily assembled, sterilizable and reusable plastic sheets, the product complies with the Open Source philosophy and responds to approved EPI protection systems.
Solidarity network of digital manufacturing spaces, universities and companies
A self-managed network of makers in Barcelona, on a voluntary and non-profit basis, has managed to coordinate more than 30 professionals (designers, engineers, communicators, sociologists), 10 workshops and 6 companies from all over Catalonia, including Elisava's professor Raul Nieves and the Elisava Alumni David Haro and Javier Notivol.
All the participants have contributed with materials, knowledge and resources to start manufacturing units, and at the moment more than 5,000 masks have already been delivered to health workers, doctors and caregivers of more than a hundred institutions (hospitals, ICUs, Primary Care Centers, nursing homes) in order to work safely. An example of solidarity, cooperation and altruism that has managed to operate outside of speculation and market prices.
