Article | COVID-19 Innovations
Indian scientists invent Corona fighting tools Indian universities, research institutions and start-ups have come forward with innovative solutions to tackle the pandemic in many ways Kashish Dhawan Reporter Akshit Pushkarna Editorial Assistant
T
he coronavirus pandemic has taken the world by surprise. The effects of the pandemic have affected us all. Many countries underwent a stringent lockdown and the
36 June 2020 | www.urbanupdate.in
economy went on a slippery slope. To bring back the economy on track, the Governments of many nations including India have decided to lift the sanctions and resume industrial and economic activities. The opening up of economy requires caution and innovation both so the country can save the economy without worsening the virus spread. Scientists of various institutions in India have come up with several solutions that could offer us solutions to lead our day-to-day lives safely. In this article, Urban Update elaborates some of the more prominent indigenous scientific developments and innovations.
IIT- Mandi’s UV-C Disinfection Box
Researchers at the Indian Institute of
Technology-Mandi have developed an Ultraviolet-C (UV-C) light-based portable disinfection box which disinfects metallic, plastic and cardboard products like wallets, keys, spectacles, bags, courier packages and parcels, among others, to minimise the risk of COVID-19 spread through contact. Minimising the risk is the key because this virus can live on these surfaces for up to 3 days. Dr Himanshu Pathak, Assistant Professor, School of Engineering, IIT Mandi; Dr Sunny Zafar, Assistant Professor, School of Engineering, IIT Mandi; Dr Hitesh Shrimali, Associate Professor, School of Computing & Electrical Engineering, IIT Mandi; Dr ProsenjitMondal, Associate Professor, School of Basic Sciences, IIT Mandi and Dr Amit Prasad, Assistant Professor, School of Basic Sciences, IIT Mandi, were the scientists behind the innovation. Research has shown that UV-C light can achieve a high level of inactivation of a near relative of COVID-19’s virus, thus, reducing the risks of contagion among healthy people. In the workplace, it can be an excellent tool for disinfecting transit of goods. The device uses 10 UV light bulbs contained in a cuboid made of a wooden board with aluminium foil through which the article that is to the disinfected is passed. Highlighting the benefits of the Disinfection Box in the COVID-19 perspective, the researchers said, “The developed prototype can disinfect all kinds of metal, plastic and cardboardbased products from the bacteria and SARS-CoV-2 virus within one-minute exposure of UV-C light, by eliminating up to 99%.” The prototype has been tested in an in-house lab facility at IIT Mandi against the bacteria ‘Escherichia coli’ and ‘Staphylococcus aureus’. The prototype shows 99% efficacy to kill both bacteria within 40 seconds of UV-C light exposure. Furthermore, on testing the researchers found that UV-C lamps did not heat the disinfected product.
