DRDO Does It Again : innovates automatic sanitiser and ultraviolet devices to fight Wuhan Virus
From an automatic mist-based sanitiser for use while entering offices to ultraviolet devices that can destroy the genetic material of COVID-19, the Defence Research and Development Organisation introduced these two new technologies on Friday that are aimed at preventing the spread of the coronavirus.
The ultraviolet device, which is hand held, can disinfect office and house objects like chairs, files and food packets, the defence ministry said. It also comes as a box, which has been designed to disinfect personal belongings such as mobile phones, files and wallet.
The DRDO’s Centre for Fire Explosive & Environment Safety (CFEES), Delhi, has developed an automatic mist based sanitiser dispensing unit, the defence ministry said. It is a contactless sanitiser dispenser, which sprays alcohol based hand sanitiser, for use at the entry of buildings and office complexes.
The unit was manufactured with the help of Riot Labz Private Limited, Noida, and one unit has been installed at the DRDO Bhawan in Delhi. “The unit can be used for sanitisation of hands at entry and exit to hospitals, malls, office buildings, residential buildings, airports, metro stations, railway stations, bus stations and critical installations. The product is also expected to be very useful for entry and exit of isolation and quarantine centres,” the ministry said.
The sanitiser operates without contact and is activated through an ultrasonic sensor. A single fluid nozzle is used to generate aerated mist to dispense the hand rub sanitiser. It sanitises the hands with minimum wastage. “It is easy to install the system as wall-mountable or on a platform. As an indication of operation an LED illuminates the spray,” the ministry said.
Meanwhile, the Defence Institute of Physiology & Allied Sciences (DIPAS) and Institute of Nuclear Medicine & Allied Sciences (INMAS), both DRDO laboratories in Delhi, have designed and developed Ultraviolet C Light based sanitisation box and a hand held UV-C (ultraviolet light with wavelength 254 nanometres) device. The UV-C consists of a shorter, more energetic wavelength of light.
“It is particularly good at destroying genetic material in COVID-19. The radiation warps the structure RNA, which prevents the viral particles from making more copies of themselves. The UV-C kills microbes quickly. The hand held device disinfects office and household objects like chairs, files, postal delivered items and food packets This measure can reduce the transmission of coronavirus,” the ministry said.
“The UV-C box is designed for disinfecting personal belongings like mobile phone, tablets, purse, currency and the cover of office files. COVID-19 virus will be deactivated by using UVC lamps in one minute when placed equidistantly in the box,” the ministry said.
