Chinese Architect Designs Wearable Shield To Protect Against Coronavirus Outbreaks

Chinese architect Sun Dayong has created a conceptual design for a shield that would protect a wearer during a coronavirus outbreak by using UV light to sterilise itself.

h/t: dezeen

The project is called Be a Bat Man, in reference to the fictional superhero who pushes the limits of human capabilities, and the fact that bats are one of the wild animals that could be the source of Covid-19 (coronavirus).

The shield would be made from carbon fibre supports shaped like batwings that would be worn like a backpack. A PVC film would stretch between these supports, like the membrane of a bat’s wing.

Wires embedded in the plastic would heat up to a temperature high enough to kill any pathogens on them, creating a sterile environment inside for the wearer.

“The coronavirus will be killed by temperatures of 56 degrees Celscius,” said Sun Dayong. “The PVC film cover is like our car windshields – there are heater wire in between the glass for heat the ice and snow in the winter,” he told Dezeen.

“But sure we still need to do lot of work with engineers for the real production.”

“Bats belong to mammal species the same as human beings, with diverse varieties and long life that make for the ideal host of coronavirus,” said Sun Dayong.

“Their body temperature can rise up to 40 degrees Celsius when flying due to accelerated metabolism and fall back to normal when taking a rest. Such change of body temperature enables them to carry the virus while curbing its spread in the body.”

It currently isn’t known how the coronavirus made the jump from bats to humans, or if it definitely came from the flying mammals and not other species such as snakes or pangolins.