Al-Qaysi, co-founder of VYZR Technology, firmly believes that BioVYZR is a successful design and will be very popular in the "new normal" created by the epidemic. He is not the only one who has done so. The company has raised more than $544,000 in investment to turn the prototype into reality. It is said that more than 50,000 eager shoppers have reserved this futuristic device.
Al-Qaysi claims that BioVYZR is much more practical than it first seems. Its all-weather design and built-in peripheral windows increase visibility, and its lightweight design makes it easy to wear. Built-in reversible gloves even allow the wearer to adjust or scratch the glasses when needed, without the risk of contaminating himself.
BioVYZR is equipped with a silent fan with rechargeable batteries, which can filter the air through the hospital-grade N95 high-quality filter and can be used continuously 12 hours. According to the company, BioVYZR is "self-isolated without social distance"-very suitable for crowded places, especially airplane cabins.
However, it remains to be seen whether these devices are on the plane. No matter how safe passengers feel, no airline will let them travel with these devices.
At present, there are no laws and regulations to prevent people from wearing this extreme personal protective equipment on the plane-after all, this is a unique new entrant to the market, and the regulator has not had time to consider it. But in addition to the risk of virus spreading in the air, airlines need to consider other security issues.
First and foremost, the problem of rapid decompression in flight, although unlikely, will undoubtedly make this equipment unusable in commercial aircraft. Remember, BioVYZR filters the outside air, and it doesn't provide oxygen. Every second counts in the decompression process-the short time required to remove BioVYZR may be too long.
There are even rarer emergency evacuation situations. Most BioVYZR can slow down the evacuation. What if the wearer is asked to evacuate through a small upper wing exit? Will it fit? Even if there is, will it slow down the evacuation?
There are also some practical daily problems. How long are you willing to live in a protected environment without food and water? Completed 12 hours? If you choose to take it out to eat, where will it be stored during the whole flight?
Obviously, many people have seen the obvious benefits of this extreme form of personal protective equipment. But the airline industry may need a more convincing view.