There is no doubt that COVID-19 is having an overwhelming impact on industries and social behavior, but it is also having a monumental impact on innovation in various areas. From the time this outbreak occurred, scientists, doctors, and designers have been working to stop the spread of the virus. In many cases, ideas have quickly led to products they may be able to help.
Virus Killing Masks
To protect medical staff from contracting coronavirus, Galilee Medical Center has piloted a facemask sticker designed to catch and kill virus nanoparticles. The virus-neutralizing sticker is designed to attach to surgical masks. The Maya sticker is 3D-printed. Professor Eyal Zussman led the mechanical engineering team that developed the sticker at the Technion-Isreal Institute of Technology. Not only does the sticker capture nanoparticles, but it also contains nanofibers and disinfectants that are believed to be capable of killing any trapped viruses. The team coordinated their efforts with Professor Samer Srouji, the director of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Oral Medicine & Dentistry Institute. They also collaborated their efforts with the Directorate of Defense Research and Development of the Israel Ministry of Defense.
At Home Test Kit
Testing delays have increasingly hampered delays in accurately tracking novel coronavirus cases. With the implementation of shelter-in-place orders, startup companies are racing to develop a reliable at home COVID 19 test kit. These companies are seizing the opportunity to provide what is seemingly the best solution: at-home tests. At home test kits are most commonly known for testing for hormones, but with the pandemic in full play a new niche opened up. At least four of these startups have launched the first at-home test kits for COVID-19. These tests have not been approved by the FDA by conventional standards but have been greenlit under the new guidelines that are specific to the coronavirus crisis. These companies aim to offer some hope to those who until now have not been able to get tested due to the shortage of available test kits.
Hands-Free Door Openers
It is called The Hygienehook. It is made of an easy to clean, non-porous material and is so small that it fits right inside your pocket. The device is designed to do the job of one finger when opening a door. The designer and owner of DDB Ltd, an office furniture manufacturer, saw that people used their little finger to grab on to the one bit of a door handle in hopes that no one had touched it. His idea was born from the question of what could be made to open a door without having to touch the handle.
Wrist Mounted Devices
Like something out of a Spider-Man movie, some wristbands can be used to help fight COVID-19. In efforts to find a way to slow the spread, a team of Seattle based entrepreneurs has developed a smartband that will alert you when you move to touch your face. In addition to handwashing, avoiding touching the mouth, nose, and eyes is among leading advice. Immutouch is the wearable solution that can remind you to practice that advice.
As is usually the case in times of fear and turbulence, businesses and consumers think differently and are willing to change their behavior. Both seek less expensive and more creative ways to assuage their needs. From this, disruptive innovation is established and gains significant market share. It is uncertain if any of these new inventions will end the fight to defeat the novel coronavirus. Meanwhile, the efforts made by human ingenuity during this time of adversity offer us a glimmer of hope.
