China’s air pollution provides inspiration for ‘smart’ face mask
Beijing-based Brit was so concerned about the city’s air quality problem that he set up his own company to find a solution
Anyone who’s been to Beijing is likely to have experienced a bad air day: that kind of heavy pollution that leaves a smoky smell on your clothes and a nasty taste in your mouth.
While most people deal with the problem by staying indoors and complaining, Englishman Christopher Dobbing decided to do something about it.
After seeing the way pollution was affecting Beijingers – especially children – the Cambridge University graduate began researching the subject and set himself the task of finding an effective face mask. When his search came up blank, he decided to solve the problem another way, by launching the aptly named Cambridge Mask Company.
Dobbing lives in Beijing with his wife and seven-month-old daughter, so he’s never been keener to create products that provide effective protection against air pollution.
His latest range of “smart masks” can be linked to a phone app that tells users not only when they need to be worn, but also when the filters need replacing.
The company’s products are now sold around the world, but the story began in right here in China.