BreathEZ

Avalanche Breathing Device

The BreathEZ is a mask that allows for breathing while trapped in an avalanche. The design was inspired by hard-shell ski masks that are currently on the market, such as the Nordic Shield windproof ski mask. On the front of the mask is a vent that allows for easy breathing when open. When the user is buried by an avalanche, a photocell senses a lack of light and activates a servo, which closes the vent. The breath is then isolated within a tubing system. Two tubes connect to the mask, each connected through a one way valve. One tube lets air in and the other lets air out, causing the breath to be expelled in a separate area from where the user is breathing in.

Project Background

The primary cause of death in avalanches is not hypothermia but suffocation. In general, there is plenty of oxygen trapped in the snow, but a person's hot breath melts the snow in front of them, which then refreezes, creating an ice barrier around the face, trapping the CO2 inside, and preventing access to more oxygen. A solution to this is to use a device that expels the breath in a separate area from where the user is getting oxygen. This is how existing products such as the Avalung work, but these products also require the user to bring the breathing device to their mouth, which can be difficult while being buried by an avalanche. I was part of a group of five students that were tasked with coming up with a design and prototype for an avalanche breathing device that activated automatically in the event of an avalanche. This project was part of my freshman engineering projects course at CU.

My Role

I and one other team member designed and built the Arduino circuit for this project. We started out with a bread board set up to test the circuit. Then, we soldered a smaller version using an Arduino mini. The servo and the Arduino circuit were housed inside the mask and powered by a 12-volt battery.

Bread board set up

As can be seen in the before and after photos, when the photocell is covered, it activates a servo connected to a lever arm that closes the vent.

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