When Singapore’s worst haze struck the nation back in June 2013, the 30 or so young children living at Melrose Home had to shift all their playtime indoors, much to their disdain.

One big reason for the change in routine was that the children – aged between six and 12 – were facing difficulties wearing the N95 masks given to them, said Ms Teresa Montes, a senior house parent with the Children’s Aid Society that runs the home.

“The children were not used to the masks as they were stuffy and uncomfortable” she said plainly.

A solution is, literally, in the air. The new AIR⁺ Smart Masks - launched last month by ST Engineering’s product development and innovation subsidiary InnoSparks - are designed to better fit children’s faces aged 7 and above, improving protection against recurring problems like haze and flu.

A micro ventilator can also be attached to the mask to flush out accumulated air and moisture, providing better breathing comfort compared to conventional N95 masks.

Melrose Home’s young residents were among Singapore’s first vulnerable children to own the AIR⁺ Smart Masks. The devices were personally distributed by President Tony Tan during his visit to the home on Wednesday, together with staff from non-profit organization Temasek Cares.

In all, some eligible 13,000 low-income and children’s home residents across the island will have the masks by end May.

Dr. Tan hailed the mask as a great example of “using innovation to build an inclusive society”. “It is a combination of both corporate as well as charitable organisations,” he said.  

The AIR⁺ Smart Masks distribution programme is part of Temasek Cares’ ‘Stay Prepared’ initiative – supported by a S$40m endowment from Temasek Holdings - to help Singaporeans and local residents better deal with emergencies, such as viral outbreaks.

Other programmes under the initiative included delivering N95 masks to all 1.2 million households in Singapore last year, as well as to foreign labourers engaged in strenuous outdoor work, according to the NGO.

The various programmes complement one another to prepare people in Singapore to be ready for a range of emergencies, said Temasek Cares’ General Manager Woon Saet Nyoon.

For Ms Yap Ai Ying, a senior supervisor at Melrose Home, the initiative will help ease its residents’ medical woes. One in five in the home suffer from some form of respiratory ailment.

“Our kids fall sick quite easily with the haze, especially those with asthma. With the new mask, there will be a reduction in doctor’s appointments^*,” Ms Yap said with a smile. 
 

* Please note that children who have respiratory or breathing problems should seek the opinion of a doctor before using the AIR+ Smart Mask. Similarly, children who experience discomfort when using the mask should be advised to discontinue its use.