Necessity is the mother of invention, as the saying goes, and it’s an adage that, I suspect, we will be hearing a lot as we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. Canadian company Imagine Fiberglass Products demonstrates the venerable concept anew with the IsoBooth Student system, which is designed to allow students to return to school safely without having to wear a mask most of the day.

The IsoBooth consists of a lightweight canopy and blower system that attaches to a standard school chair and can easily be pulled up to the desk by a student, explained the company. The canopy can be adjusted to accommodate students as they lean forward to write at their desk.

Engineered using Computational Fluid Dynamics modeling, the IsoBooth incorporates a compact, energy-efficient, air-handling system. A push-pull air curtain in front captures and rejects airborne droplets and aerosols, while the positive-pressure breathing zone inside is protected and filled with HEPA-filtered air, allowing students to work comfortably without a mask or eye covering.

"Parents are concerned that their kids are falling behind due to COVID-19 interruptions and that a return to the brick-and-mortar school is extremely important,” said Imagine Fiberglass President Jim Ashton. “However, we are all genuinely concerned about the safety of the students, teachers, and staff, and have been frustrated that there really hasn't been any agreement on a safe plan for return.”

The IsoBooth is made from durable, lightweight plastics, and consumes less than 80 watts of power per seat daily. The unit costs literally pennies per day to operate, and the cost of the IsoBooth itself is roughly equal to one week of childcare, said the company.

A version of the IsoBooth Student is available for office use and is easily attached to a standard five-spoke base office chair or stool, said the company.

Based in Kitchener, ON, Imagine Fiberglass Products designs, develops, and fabricates fiber-reinforced plastic and composite tooling, parts and products.