Narvalo Urban Mask. Red Dot Winner 21

The image shows a man in the middle of a crowded city street wearing an advanced technological protective mask. The mask features a dark mesh structure and an ergonomic shape covering the nose and mouth. The man, wearing a blue technical jacket, looks directly into the camera while other blurred figures pass in the foreground and background, creating a sense of urban dynamism. The scene suggests the use of innovative personal protective equipment in densely populated metropolitan contexts.

From a Master thesis of Ewoud Westerduin born *Narvalo *, a start up created together with the Associate Professor of the Department of Design Venanzio Arquilla, incubated at *PoliHub *, Innovation Park & Startup Accelerator of Politecnico di Milano and talent in residence at *Polifactory *.

Narvalo is the perfect expression and application of the third mission of the Politecnico di Milano because, born during a Workshop of the School of Design, has managed to integrate the entire chain of innovation of the Politecnico di Milano and has involved *BLS *, a buotique company of the territory, specialized for over fifty years in the production of disposal for the protection of respiratory tracts and industrial PPE, also born in the Bovisa district of Milan where the Department and the School of Design are based.

Narvalo Urban Mask is a protective mask, with filtering capacity FFP3 R (certified), conceived and designed in 2018 to respond to the issue of environmental pollution in urban environment; after an important dialogue with BLS expertise experiments on materials and technologies performed in Polifactory, Narvalo started in January 2020 the testing phase with more than 50 users.

With the advent of Covid-19, the production process was obviously accelerated in order to be able to make available some protective masks already in July, which were sold out after a few hours from the publication of the online shop.

The image presents an exploded view of a technical face mask, highlighting its layered structure and the different color variations available. The rendering shows, from left to right: a light gray outer module with a grid pattern and the text "Made in Italy", "Smart Filtration", and a logo; a white version of the same layer; a matte black version; a gray inner filtering layer; and finally, the black internal carbon support structure. The technical composition suggests a high-engineering personal protective device designed for comfort and filtering efficiency, with a specific focus on design and materials.
The image presents a technical exploded view of a smart protective mask, revealing the technological complexity hidden behind its external design. In addition to the main teal mesh shell, the view shows internal components: sensors, a small fan for active ventilation, printed circuit boards (PCBs) for data processing, and a replaceable filter. The front is sealed by an aerodynamic black cover featuring the "N" logo. This representation highlights that the device is not merely passive PPE, but an advanced electronic system for monitoring air quality or respiratory data.

The Narvalo, composed of a 3D polyester fabric, highly breathable, washable, water-repellent and tear-resistant, has as its strength the filter, co-developed with BLS, that provides protection for the user by filtering 99.9% of pollutants, pollen, particulates, viruses, bacteria and even odors, through the layer of active carbon.

A foundamental part of Narvalo is the beak that contains the exhalation valve, designed to maximize outward flow, reducing the accumulation of heat and moisture inside the mask increasing comfort for the wearer.

Following the release of Covid-19, a new component was developed in addition to the beak: "During the lockdown we talked about selfish masks, therefore equipped with an exhalation valve, and about altruistic masks, without the valve" - says Ewoud Westerduin, Head of Design at Narvalo

« so we decided to make Narvalo Urban Mask an altruistic mask, introducing a cap, called anti-Covid cap, able to block the release of particles during exhalation, protecting not only the users, but also other people.»
The image is a close-up portrait of a young woman wearing the black technological mask seen in the previous renderings. The device covers her nose and mouth with a perforated mesh structure and a smooth central shell featuring the "N" logo. The woman, with her hair tied back and wearing a dark technical jacket, looks directly at the camera with a calm expression, highlighting how the product's design integrates with facial aesthetics. The neutral gray background and professional lighting emphasize the materials and build quality of the final prototype.
The image is a close-up portrait of a man wearing the technological mask shown previously in other versions. The device covers his nose and mouth with a perforated mesh structure, this time in a vibrant bright blue, surrounded by an ergonomic black border. The "N" logo is engraved in the center of the smooth black base. The man, with short hair and wearing a dark gray mandarin collar shirt, looks directly into the camera with a calm expression, highlighting the product's compact and functional design for everyday use. The neutral gray background and professional lighting emphasize the materials and build quality of the final prototype.

Narvalo, in the last few months, has also added an app that allows the users to monitor the quality of the air and especially able to control the level of use of the filter and to alert the user when it is necessary to change it, providing an even greater degree of protection and safety.

In March 2021, a *crowdfunding campain * was launched for the electronic version *Narvalo Urban Active Mask *, which will take place on the Kickstarter platform.

We would like to inform you about the *interview * that Ewoud Westerduin gave to Sky TG 24 for the tv show Progress.

The image depicts two people, a man and a woman, in a modern urban setting wearing technological masks and athletic gear. The woman on the left wears a red windbreaker, black leggings, and a mask with a yellow/ochre pattern. The man on the right is on a vibrant orange bicycle, wearing a black hoodie, white leggings under shorts, and a mask with a teal pattern. Both are positioned on a pedestrian crossing, with contemporary buildings and city traffic in the background. The scene conveys the integration of the device into an active daily life, emphasizing protection and style during outdoor sports.

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