This is an inconspicuous, disposable cup like a small paper ice cream cup on a cuff on the forearm and is filled with tissue baffles. Thus someone with a cold can cough and sneeze into the cup instead of into the air or hand.

The sound of the cough is muffled and the spread of infectious droplets is nearly eliminated. When desired, the cup can be loosened from its base, turned over and attached to the base (which becomes the cover) and thrown away.
-- FarmerJohn, May 19 2005

I was once on a date. It's true. During the date I sneezed into my hands. The angle of my hands allowed the sneeze particles to bounce off my hands and directly into the face of my date sitting next to me.

I must admit I am unable to envision what it is your talking about.
-- SpocksEyebrow, May 20 2005


Faster than a handkerchief, more convenient than a surgeon's mask, the cup, strapped to the forearm, is raised to nearly cover the nose and mouth to brake and capture pathogen-laden droplets.
-- FarmerJohn, May 20 2005


lovely. actually I like this better than the face mask.
-- dentworth, May 20 2005


I hope the seal on this thing is good'n'tight.
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, May 20 2005


I am <takes deep breath> going to fishbone an FJ idea. Two much more elegant and simple solutions spring to mind - absorbent cuffs (quick prototype: wrap a..erm... thingy that girls use, you know - round your cuff) or use a handkerchief. Not keen on the idea of wandering around with two paper cups dangling from my wrists.
-- moomintroll, May 20 2005


//thingy that girls use, you know //

<looking innocent> Why, no, [moom]. Whatever do you mean? <li>

I like this idea simply for the strapping of a cup to the arm. Nice visual.
-- Machiavelli, May 20 2005


<subsided horror from moom's solution>
-- daseva, May 20 2005


I wear pads on my sleeves anyway.

What? Everyone does it sometimes!
-- disbomber, May 22 2005


I wear my heart on my sleeve. nasty looking mess.
-- dentworth, May 22 2005


I am suffering from something, and at the market, only hours ago, I began to sneeze uncontrollably, while browsing the meat department. I felt awful. I didn't have a tissue or anything. People ran away from me.

(This would also, once again, be a great plus for the mentally challenged popultation. It would make it fun to sneeze.) +
-- blissmiss, May 22 2005



random, halfbakery