TPU student is developing a portable two-way radio - mask for high-noise industries

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TPU student is developing a portable two-way radio - mask for high-noise industries

Ksenia Gareeva, a student at Tomsk Polytechnic University, is developing a new type of a portable two-way radio in the form of a mask. It combines passive sound insulation and active noise suppression. The device the girl is developing is designed for miners and construction workers and will not only allow unhindered communication in noisy industrial conditions, but will also protect the respiratory tract from dust. The student has won 1 million rubles to start her business.

Ksenia Gareeva is studying for her master's degree at the School of Energy and Power Engineering in the field of "Electric Power and Electrical Engineering". The girl started trying herself as an aspiring entrepreneur while studying for her bachelor's degree, and she participated in various grant competitions with her ideas of creative projects. But, according to Ksenia herself, it was as if they all lacked something.

On the advice of the experts from our startup lab, I focused on technology startups. And at one of the "brainstorming sessions" with students-entrepreneurs, the thought struck me. I come from the mining town of Kemerovo, my relatives are miners. They often tell me about different workplace situations from their careers. And I thought, why not make a mask that would simultaneously protect the respiratory tract from coal dust and help to stay in touch with other workers. I conducted a survey among miners, foremen, and potential customer companies and received a positive response,

- Ksenia recalls.

The soundproof mask is equipped with headphones, MEMS microphones, high-quality speakers that work with antiphase sound, as well as headphones and a microphone for communication. The main feature of the device is its ability to combine passive sound insulation and active noise suppression.

The mask itself will be able to support several operating modes - "office", "street" and "sleep", as well as analyze the soundscape. According to the author's idea, it will be possible to configure the desired mode using a mobile application that will connect the mask to the phone and headphones via Bluetooth.

"At the moment, we have developed a 3D model of the future device. Over the next year, we will work on the technical implementation of the technology - think over the principle of switching on and connecting device elements to each other. In addition, we want to provide a mode for individual and group connection over a shared network. This will significantly expand the functionality of the mask and will allow it to be used not only in mines, but also, for example, in call centers," the student adds.