Two Latest Technologies to Fight Covid-19 Pandemic Designed by Kerala Scientists; How They Work?

Scientists at Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences & Technology (SCTIMST), Trivandrum, Kerala, have designed two technologies to fight COVID-19 pandemic. SCTIMST is an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India.

Chitra Disinfection Gateway: First Technology to fight covid-19 designed

It is one of the two technology designed by SCTIMST scientists, Jithin Krishan and Subash VV from the Division of Medical Instrumentation for the decontamination of people, one at a time. Chitra Disinfection Gateway is a portable system equipped with a system for generating Hydrogen peroxide mist and UV based decontamination facility.

How Chitra Disinfection Gateway works?

Hydrogen Peroxide fumes will decontaminate the body, hands, and clothes of a person. The UV system will decontaminate the chamber. This whole system is electronically controlled. The sensors mounted in the chamber have the ability to detect the entry of a person & start the Hydrogen Peroxide mist generation process. The person has to walk through the chamber to its end. After the person exits, the system will shut off the hydrogen peroxide fumigation system & will turn on the UV lamp inside the chamber to decontaminate it. Once, the UV light is switched off automatically after a prescribed time, the chamber is again ready for the next person.

Interestingly, the whole process takes only 40 seconds & the system has see-through glass panels on sidewalls for monitoring. It is fitted with lights for illumination during use. The design & Know-how are transferred to HMT Machine Tools, Ernakulam, Kerala.

Chitra UV Based Facemask Disposal Bin: Second Technology to fight covid-19 designed

Subash VV from SCTIMST has designed Chitra UV Based Facemask Disposal Bin. It is a UV Based Facemask Disposal Bin which can be used by health workers in hospitals & in public places where decontamination of used facemask, overhead covers, face shields, and so on are required to break the infection chain.

Though, face masks are a must-have item due to the Covid-19, but the used masks are hazardous waste and must be properly disposed of. The waste collectors are also at risk of being exposed to coronavirus while doing their duties. You must not only throw the used face masks into the waste bin, but also disinfecting them is a must. The Design and Know-how has been transferred to HMT Machine Tools, Ernakulam, Kerala.

According to Professor Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary, DST said, "Disinfection of people, garments, surfaces & used disposable protective gears are important to break the chain of transmission. The use of hydrogen peroxide spray and ultraviolet light in appropriate doses are 2 robust weapons in the covid-19 fight, both of them are used in the innovations being discussed here."

For more information on the above, you can contact:

Ms. Swapna Vamadevan, PRO, SCTIMST
Mob: 9656815943
Email: pro@sctimst.ac.in