You might not be too familiar with the name Mario Palazzetti, but fifty years ago, while working as a Fiat Research Centre engineer he designed a new braking system that has gone on to be standard on all cars and is credited with saving hundreds of thousands of lives. Now at the age of 84 he aims to repeat the feat, this time turning his attention to COVID-19.

 
Often known as Mr ABS because of his brake safety designs, Mario Palazzetti has invented a device called the Biostopper which he hopes can help reduce COVID-19 transmission. The small device would sit on a surface like a table between two people and create an aerodynamic field, so that all the breath that someone emits when talking goes back towards them. This he hopes can help address social distancing issues in environments such as schools, offices, and restaurants.
 
Having developed the design Palazzetti is now working with a team at the University of Turin to further develop and test the product, which they hope to market by the end of the summer.