A system for treating and/or preventing a viral, bacterial and/or fungal infection in the oral cavity and/or along the respiratory tract, in particular the interior of the nose, throat, trachea and/or lungs, of a patient by reactive species generated by plasma as well as a plasma for such use is disclosed. The system comprises a plasma source generating reactive species in a gas, the plasma source being configured to be located outside a body of the patient, and a species directing member forming at least one duct for guiding at least a part of the reactive species generated by the plasma source into the oral cavity and/or the respiratory tract.

Environmental characteristics or scenes of habitable environments (e.g., hotel or motel rooms, spas, resorts, cruise boat cabins, offices, hospitals and/or homes, apartments or residences, or other spaces or sub-spaces) are controlled to facilitate certain activities of a user in the environment by increasing focus, preparing for sleep, directing movement, masking ambient noise, and improving air quality, among others. Controllable characteristics include, for example, lighting, CO.sub.2/O.sub.2 levels, humidity levels, sound, aroma, and air temperature. Controls are provided for the occupant and/or facility personnel to select activities or scenes, or sensors detect the activity and implement an appropriate scene.

A head encapsulation unit is disclosed which filters virus contaminated air. The head encapsulation unit does not require a fitting process since the primary interface between the head encapsulation unit and the user is the user's neck. The head encapsulation unit has an expandable seal that a user can insert his or her head. The seal is then wrapped around and places light pressure against the person's neck so that virus contaminated air that does not enter the inner volume of the head encapsulation unit and infect the user. A cap at the upper portion of the unit and the seal aligns the head encapsulation unit on the user's head. This head encapsulation unit allows for both medical personnel and infected individuals to better and more easily communicate than mouth covered filters, goggles and face shield while offering substantially more mitigation from spreading an infection or being infected.

An apparatus such as a fluid mixer, suitable for use with a respirator, including a venturi nozzle for flow of a pressure-controlled fluid; an ambient fluid aperture in fluid communication with the venturi nozzle; a fluid port; a pressure force multiplier in fluid communication with the fluid port; and a valve moveable relative to the venturi nozzle between a start flow position and a stop flow position; where the pressure force multiplier is configured such that fluid forced into the fluid port actuates the valve relative to the venturi nozzle; and where the pressure force multiplier is configured such that fluid withdrawn from the fluid port actuates the valve relative to the venturi nozzle, further comprising an active filter that comprises an energy harvesting system and at least one filter medium, wherein the energy harvesting system generates electricity to induce a static charge in the at least one filter medium.

Described herein is a respiratory care apparatus capable of performing multitude of therapy for secretion management and breath assistance therapy. The respiratory care apparatus comprises an electromechanical air router assembly (EARA) and an interfacing assembly. The EARA includes independent first and second pressure generating sources for assisted inhalation/insufflation and assisted exhalation/exsufflation process. The interfacing assembly includes a patient interface port and a patient interface tube. The interfacing assembly forms two pneumatically separate paths. The respiratory care apparatus is configured to generate alternate positive and negative pressure at the patient interface port for assisted inhalation/insufflation and assisted exhalation/exsufflation processes respectively. The assisted inhalation/insufflation and assisted exhalation/exsufflation processes are carried out independently through separate conduits/passages to reduce contamination and infection. Further, the respiratory care apparatus comprises a garment which oscillates due to alternate positive and negative pressure generation and provides therapy to the patient.

A system and method of removing pathogens and particulates in a breathable air supply includes supplying pressurized air from a portable pressurized air source, flowing the pressurized air through a filter media including capturing multiple pathogens and particulate contaminates from the pressurized air, outputting filtered, pressurized air and delivering the filtered, pressurized air to a mask.

A breathing apparatus configured to be worn on the face of a person is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a breathing manifold having an internal space with openings for a connection to the nasal passage and mouth of the user and openings for one or more gas-exchange ports. An armature holds the manifold in position relative to the face and provides pressure against the nose and mouth to provide a sealed interface between the internal volume of the apparatus and each of the nose and mouth. According to a salient aspect, the armature is configured to securely hold the breathing apparatus to the person's face without requiring additional securements such as head straps. The armature also includes one or more attachment points for supporting other components of the breathing apparatus including, for example, an air-inlet filter and an exhaust valve, through which air can be exchanged.

A face mask for extended wear by a user including a customized, contoured facial mask portion constructed and configured to cover and matingly contact a corresponding contoured surface area of a human face, preferably formed by 3D printing methods and materials. The face mask includes strap attachments and at least one strap for securing the customized, contoured facial mask portion to the face. The face mask includes at least one replaceable air filter for filtering out viral or bacterial pathogens.

A ventilator system includes a gas flow chamber configured to receive ventilation gas circulating in a ventilation gas pathway of the ventilator and at least one UVC lamp. The UVC lamp is configured to radiate UVC spectrum light into the gas flow chamber to inactivate pathogens in the ventilation gas. A flow sensor is configured to measure a gas flow rate of the ventilation gas and a controller is configured to receive the gas flow rate, determine an intensity based on the gas flow rate, and control power to the UVC lamp based on the intensity.

Disclosed herein are embodiments describing nonrebreather facemasks for efficiently and comfortably delivering oxygen to patients. One embodiment describes a cup-shaped pliable facemask that is suited to cover and seal a patient's nose, mouth, and cheeks within the cup-shaped facemask. Certain other embodiments describe an inlet tube outwardly extending from the facemask at an angle in line with the pathway of a patient's nostrils to better provide oxygen directly into a patient's nose. Other embodiments envision varying facemask's stiffness for improved comfort and sealing against the patient's face. While other embodiments envision a reduction in dead space of a facemask when worn by a patient to improve oxygen efficiency used by the patient.