Students of Jyothi Engineering College, Cheruthuruthy, have developed a UV steriliser for disinfection. They claim it is an effective disinfectant against SARS-CoV-2.
Final-year Mechanical Engineering students Christo Kollannur, Christo Varghese, Don Thomas and Adarsh Govind K.M. led by their teachers Nice Menacherry and Jinesh K. Jose are behind the innovation called ‘VIRUZID UV Sterilizer’.
Students of Electronics Engineering Alin Ros David, Varsha.V and Sebin Wilson E, and Dr. Kurian Alappatt, an assistant professor at Jubilee Mission Medical College, were also there to support them.
Now, a variety of chemicals and gases are used for disinfection. But one of the most effective and convenient methods for sterilisation operations is the use of ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UNGI) or (UV-C) rays, which will manipulate the genetic material of micro organisms so that they can be easily disinfected, they say.
Since direct exposure of UV-C rays is harmful to the human body, they use a controlled system. They have designed a mobile app to control the activity. The ‘VIRUZID UV Sterilizer’ can be used almost in every places such as hospitals, airports and shops, the students add.
The idea has been selected for the Young Innovators Programme 2019-2022 and the Entrepreneurship Conclave in Thiruvananthapuram conducted by the Department of Commerce and Industry.