U.S. Government to Award $1 Million for Best Ebola Hazmat Suit Design

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The White House has teamed up with USAID, the CDC, and the U.S. Department of Defense to offer a $1 million award for a superior and improved HAZMAT suit design in hopes of better assisting healthcare workers in their fight against Ebola. Due to the humid environments of Ebola-affected countries, current personal protective equipment used by health workers cannot be comfortably worn for long periods of time. Titled ‘Fighting Ebola: A Grand Challenge for Development,’ this crowd sourcing initiative asks innovators across the world to improve the design of protective wear and is accepting proposals from now until December.