They may look like equipment for a lunar mission, but newly designed personal respirators that offer safety and comfort have been bought for medical staff around the UK after being given approval from the regulator.

A small team of engineers from the University of Southampton helped develop the respirator, called PeRSo, which is easily fitted and gives protection to doctors and nurses at hospitals caring for COVID-19 patients.

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Featuring a visor, it also means patients have the comfort of being able to see the faces of staff during conversations.

More than 10,000 respirators have now been provided to staff in more than 20 NHS organizations from the south of England to Scotland after it received the go-ahead from the UK's Health and Safety Executive for use during the pandemic.

Being reusable also means they reduce the environmental impact of disposable personal protective equipment (PPE) and can save money longer term.

Becky Eggleston, a doctor on the general intensive care unit at University Hospital Southampton, said the new equipment made a "huge difference."

"We are extremely grateful for all the work that the team has put into producing the PeRSo hoods," she said. "They are much more comfortable than alternative PPE, which makes a huge difference to us during our long shifts.

"Being able to see each other's faces makes it easier for our team to communicate, and knowing that patients take comfort from being able to see the faces of the people looking after them is a boost to morale."

The PeRSo covers the wearer's head and delivers clean air through a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter with the air sucked through the fine filter that can remove viruses. There is a belt-mounted fan pack which can be worn throughout a long shift and reused after cleaning.

The idea came to life during the first wave of the virus when there was a shortage of PPE and researchers at the University of Southampton looked to create a more practical alternative.

Using easily available materials including parts from a vacuum cleaner and manufacturing methods such as 3D printing and a lightweight sewing machine, a model was quickly developed and put into production within a month.

"I felt very helpless in the early days of the pandemic and so I was delighted to be part of the PeRSo team. We had a lot of support from across the University, from Southampton General Hospital and from a large number of companies around the UK," said Ric Gillams, a researcher at University of Southampton, who was part of the original development team.

"The pressure on healthcare workers is now even greater than it was in the first wave of the pandemic and the feedback from PeRSo users has been very positive. It is very rewarding to see the respirators in action and to have made a contribution to the safety of those working on the frontline treating patients with COVID-19."