GSS EU Science Funding Gateway

Applicants might develop completely new technologies or rely on reformulated designs and novel applications of existing materials and technologies. Applicants need to propose a detailed plan to design, prototype, validate, and CE-mark innovative, cost-effective, and sustainable next-generation respirators. To overcome the limitations outlined above, they need to offer higher levels of protection than FFP2 respirators while being universally fitting, enabling comfortable multi-hour use.

Different solutions may target different populations (e.g., clinicians, critical workers, the public, etc.). Proposals should include a dissemination and market readiness plan that ensures a market for the product in preparedness times – e.g., through stockpiling or active use. This plan should generate sufficient demand to set up production.

Importantly, developers also need to demonstrate feasibility for a rapid production scale-up once a public health emergency materialises, possibly relying on distributed manufacturing solutions and use of accessible raw materials. Products should demonstrate the potential to be at a cost that will allow for a switch from the currently used PPE. To encourage sustainability, products should be reusable, less harmful to the environment and ideally foster environmentally friendly production. Proposals need to take into consideration that next generation respiratory devices should be easy to store (e.g., occupying minimum space in stockpiles and having long expiry dates) and simple to use by the target population.