A 25 year old from Twickenham has developed a smoke mask for commercial use as part of London South Bank University’s Enterprise Associate Scheme.

Steve Devonshire is developing the smoke mask he invented as part of his final-year LSBU project for commercial use through Square Edge Design.

“Research shows that the majority of people killed in house fires die from smoke inhalation, rather than the fire itself,” Steve said. “So I’ve designed a mask that can be put on in under ten seconds and will keep people alive for 40 minutes. It’s made from active carbon which absorbs the chemicals that really do the damage and cools the smoke before it enters the lungs. Its carbon catalyst allows people to breath normally.”

Steve was offered a place on the scheme after completing a degree in engineering product design at LSBU. The initiative supports students from within the University who wish to start their own business and have the necessary entrepreneurial flair. As well as giving them the chance to turn their ideas into a commercial reality, they gain a formal academic qualification – an MSc in Enterprise by Learning Contract.