NIBONG TEBAL, April 5 — A team of researchers from the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (PPKEE) Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) in Transkrian, here have produced a low-cost automatic disinfectant tunnel for curbing the spread of Covid-19.
PPKEE Dean and head of project, Prof Ir Dr Mohd Fadzil Ain said the team was called upon to produce the device after receiving a request from the health frontliners at USM’s Wellness Centre
"Actually, the tunnel was produced to help provide protection to the university community, especially the frontliners such as in USM’s Wellness Centre and the security department exposed to the risk of Covid-19 infection.
“For this system we will have a touchless temperature detector, where health personnel are at a distance and the patient will retrieve the temperature data independently without any health worker coming near... in case of fever and if the virus germs are on the clothes, the patient will go through the tunnel to clean up and then wash their hands using a no-touch soap dispenser and a hand dryer,” he said here, today.
Besides him, the team involved in the making of the tunnel comprised Associate Prof Dr Muhammad Nasiruddin Mahyuddin, Dr Wan Amir Fuad Wajdi Othman, Suardi Kaharuddin, Shahidan Shafie and Mohd Hisham Mamat Yusuf.
Mohd Fadzil said with the expertise in electronics at PPKEE, the tunnel was designed with sonar detectors to enable it to detect objects passing through it.
The product was first produced, using all the resources and components available at PPKEE, given the difficulty in obtaining manufacturing materials, as most hardware stores were closed following the movement control order (MCO), he said.
He said the prototype of the product was to be placed at USM’s Wellness Centre and the university area, which is expected to receive student enrollment once the MCO period ends.
“It is also suitable to be located in other locations at risk, including hospitals, health clinics, police stations and government departments. So far only one prototype will be installed at the USM Wellness Centre,” he said.
He said the cost for each tunnel is about RM1,500 and it could be made on a large scale and fast, as the materials used can be found at local hardware stores. — Bernama
