Teen is inventor, traveler and weight lifting record-setter
Ethan Joslin is an inventor and traveler. • Photos Submitted
By Tom Victoria
Ethan Joslin spends his time wisely. The 17-year-old drastically improved his fitness and invented a new type of face mask to prevent the spread of viruses when everything, including schools, shut down in 2020 in response to the novel coronavirus, COVID-19.
Ethan shows the hat and tube parts of his invention.
While many people were idle, Ethan invented the air barrier face mask, which uses an air flow with decontaminant.
"It blows air, another part disinfects," he said. "This mask is going to protect you. Nothing can get through air."
Ethan, who lives near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, researched and developed the mask on his own.
Ethan's illustration shows part of his invention's concept.
“The air mask is a baseball cap that has a plastic tube along the rim shooting down air with enough force to create a barrier between the face and the outside environment,” he said. “This solves the problem of ineffective masks that either have sewing too large to stop the minuscule virus particles or just the plain holes that come with wearing a mask not properly sealed to the face. There is an air compressor of sort. I used a computer fan for my prototype. This will supply the air needed to create this barrier. The good thing about air is there is no holes, nothing can get inside this mask unlike the cloth ones.”
Ethan explained his invention also prevents further pollution.
“From an environmental perspective, disposable masks are horrible for animals and create so much unneeded pollution, which this mask helps alleviate,” he said.
The challenge for Ethan was to produce an air flow.
“That’s what I struggled with,” he said.
Ethan initially tried a hair blower, but it was not powerful enough. Although he ended up settling on a computer fan for the prototype, another option would have to be pursued.
The sketch shows Ethan's design work.
“The compressor could either be a small actual air compressor or a fan of some sort that has a high enough cfm (cubic feet per minute) to create the airflow needed,” he said. “An air compressor, though, may be the only item that could supply the amount needed. I spoke to Dyson, the vacuum and air company, about possibly partnering with them because their airflow products are quite advanced, but, unfortunately, I could not never get high enough for anyone who could help me.”
Ethan added that standard masks are unable to accommodate a person sneezing.
“The small gaps in the mask allow the particles to escape, which in turn, defeats the point of the mask,” he said. “Also, studies have shown that virus transmissions can even occur through the eyes. If a virus particle finds its way there, which regular masks do not protect, you may be in bad luck. One study even found 25 percent.”
Ethan became determined to find a solution to keeping people safe after becoming concerned for his grandmother and hearing possible prevention measures that turned out to be dubious at best.
"It was going to affect people I love," he said. “I researched the virus for two weeks before coming up with the idea, spending almost 6 to 8 hours a day formulating a solution and studying something that had yet to be fully studied. I concluded that gator masks for example, like scarves or paper towels as masks, are completely useless and may even be harmful due to the size of the stitching. Interestingly enough, Johnson & Johnson came out with the same findings two months later. Virus size, droplet sizes, gravity: how long particles stay in the air, wind velocity and its effect on smoke - a particle of similar size as the virus - are all things I researched.”
Ethan said most items used as masks are ineffective.
“Most of them are gambling with your life,” he said.
Ethan explained the n95 mask works, but is clogged with contaminated particles accumulated after each day’s use.
He reached out to various companies in addition to Dyson, but no one offered assistance in developing a final product. When no help was forthcoming, Ethan obtained a provisional patent on the air barrier mask. A permanent patent was not feasible as it carries a $20,000 price tag and a 7-to-10-year process. Conversely, a provisional patent costs $300. And he believed a temporary patent was better than none.
Ethan and his friend Adam show off their nonlethal guns by the pyramids in Egypt.
Ethan and Adam sit with a camel in Egypt.
“My prototype is on record,” Ethan said.
He also posted an article on LinkedIn detailing his work (which is linked below the story).
If devising an innovative mask to prevent the spread of a virus that has caused worldwide chaos wasn't enough, Ethan also drastically improved his fitness, packing on muscle and becoming much stronger.
The push for self-improvement started with a friend, Adam Khalil, and a dare.
“We both had very little muscle,” Ethan said. “The 30-day fitness challenge with Adam was something we decided to do because we wanted not only to look better, but feel better, which by all means, has to be done. It was a workout regimen that included an hour to an hour-and-a-half of cables, benching, dumb bells. You name it, we did it. After a few days straight, I learned about rest days and their importance. Through thick and thin, and even when I felt like puking, I pushed on, and I am glad I did so.”
Ethan experienced significant gains in his strength and physique after working out.
He initially was restricted in what he could do with gyms being closed at that time.
“I just used what I had around the house,” Ethan said.
Eventually, he received the gift of a 300-pound weight set.
“From there, everything shot up,” Ethan said.
He also changed his diet.
“I started making healthy recipes,” Ethan said.
Along with an impressive physique, Ethan acquired great strength, setting a bench press record.
“My new bench press record was 225 on August 24, 2021, which is the record in most of the states for my weight and age,” he said. “I also have a 230 squat on September 10, 2021, and a 315 deadlift on September 10, 2021.”
Ethan discovered his new strength could be utilized in various situations, including tossing an immense tractor wheel weighing hundreds of pounds.
Ethan flexes while exploring underwater in Mexico.
“I thought ‘Oh, I can do this now,’” he said.
And lack of time did not deter Ethan from focusing on fitness.
“I would work out at 1 a.m. because I didn’t have time,” he said. “You’ve got to stick with it.”
Before becoming a physical specimen, Ethan played such sports as soccer and baseball. He eagerly employed his new strength and stamina on the soccer field this season.
Ethan excels academically, taking advanced placement courses last school year and this one. He plans on becoming a scientific researcher.
“I would go to different labs around the world,” Ethan said.
He also wants to continue inventing things to help others.
“I would create change for the world,” Ethan said.
Along with Ethan’s scientific and physical accomplishments, he is a world traveler.
Ethan and his sister Sydney explore a submerged cave in Cancun, Mexico.
“I just love to explore,” Ethan said. “I explored the depths of the ocean. I was born in Switzerland. They love to travel.”
He explained his family does not expend money on such things as eating out.
“We spend it on travel,” Ethan said.
To no surprise, he enjoys hiking and scuba diving.
“I pretty much love doing as much as I can with my life,” Ethan said.
And he has accomplished that by improving his fitness, inventing a mask to hinder viruses, tutoring, teaching, mentoring, healing through his medical knowledge and donating his time among many other ways he gives.
“My purpose on Earth is to make a positive difference by helping people in any way I can.”
The link to Ethan's Instragram: https://www.instagram.com/amazingmaniac_lifts/
The link to Ethan's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7VQ-IXlsA2ZRZ7oIaFuAQQ/featured
The link to Ethan's article on his research and invention: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/covid-19-problem-masks-ethan-joslin/