NE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY BUREAU
CHENNAI, JUNE 5
Indian Institute of Technology Madras has partnered with the Industry to develop a touchless sanitizer dispenser that can be deployed in running vehicles such as cars, vans, buses and even auto rickshaws.
This design is scalable for use with both AC and DC power supply. Special care has been taken in the choice of materials so that they can be safely used with liquid and gel type sanitizers, a release from IIT-M said.
This project was led by Kavitha Arunachalam, Associate Professor, Department of Engineering Design, IIT Madras who worked in collaboration with Anandraj G. and Rajesh D. from M/s Shima Engineering, a Chennai-based firm.
The team has developed several variants and have already received business enquiries. They are in the process of moving to production mode.
Tracing the origins of this Project, Kavitha Arunachalam, Associate Professor, Department of Engineering Design, IIT Madras, said, “The idea of building touchless sanitizer dispenser was initiated M/s. Shima Engineering in mid-March 2020. Anticipating the need for hands-free personal hygiene products after the COVID-19 pandemic, I mentored Shima Engineering to build prototypes to suit different end-users.”
Kavitha Arunachalam added, “Our proposal was approved by Seshadri Sekhar, Faculty In-charge, COVID-19 Projects, IIT Madras, and supported by the Central Workshop, IIT Madras. We fabricated few units that were installed in IIT Madras Student Dining Halls and the institute hospital besides in other areas of the campus such as the IIT Madras Research Park.”
The choice of materials and parts that will come in contact with the sanitizer are chemically stable and the unit is designed to discharge 3 millilitres in 3 seconds, which is ideal for industries/educational institutions/corporate offices. There is no mechanical wear and tear of internal parts in this design.
A rugged design has been developed based on the feedback obtained on the functioning of the prototype units that were in use since mid-April 2020 inside the campus. Shima Engineering is in the process of getting incubation support from IIT Madras for developing related products for personal hygiene and products for disinfecting classrooms, office spaces, shop floors and commercial buildings, the release adds.
