The University’s makerspaces and 3D printers, and the researchers, faculty and staff who operate them, are churning out face shields, battery packs for powered air-purifying respirators, facemasks, and patterns and kits to support the construction of gowns. Their work is linked to a communitywide effort involving an extensive network of businesses, organizations and volunteers who are contributing resources, equipment and supplies, along with making, sewing and crafting skills, to support the creation of personal protective equipment (PPE) for use in area healthcare settings.
Of this regional response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Daniel Smith, makerspace specialist with the Innevation Center, said, “Makers are all about getting things done creatively quickly and with limited resources. This is exactly the situation and time for makers to step up.”
“This is what makerspaces and…
