We congratulate Dr. Younes Karfa Bekali for winning the “DAAD-Ideas Competition on Covid-19” for the start-up idea “Contactless disinfection dispenser
During the covid-19 pandemic, UM5R founded the Opt-Project (The path towards OPTimal decisions, https://opt-covid19.org/). Opt is a voluntary initiative led by a multidisciplinary team of researchers, doctors, biologist, virologue, virologist, mathematician, computer scientists and economists. The objective is to federate all efforts to understand
the pandemic Covid19 and guarantee an optimal exit from containment and to reduce the economic and social impact of the health crisis in the best possible way. In the framework of the Opt-Project, the Entrepreneurship Center of UM5R organized a “Challenge Covid-19” (https://opt-covid19.org/challenge/) in which start-up ideas could be presented that aim to address problems regarding the Covid-19 pandemic. Ten projects were presented, for three of them it had already been possible to find support from some Moroccan business partners, in order to bring the idea to market readiness. One of the projects, a contactless disinfection dispenser, won the “DAAD Ideas Competition on Covid-19”. The funding of the DAAD competition will be used to bring the idea to market readiness, using the co-incubator structures that we are currently building up.
The Contacless disinfection dispenser
The developed device is made up of a stainless steel frame and an electronic system that manages the disinfectant gel dispensing procedure. The stainless steel material of the frame gives several advantages to the device: light weight, perfect rigidity, anti-rust and a luxurious aesthetic shape. The materials used are stainless steel sheet, and 304 stainless steel tube (food grade stainless steel) designed for the interior of the disinfection. The hose, which conducts the gel, is a good quality POLYURETHANE type SH98 (for food and beverage), also used by dentists.
The dispenser does not need to be fixed to the wall or the floor. It can be dropped off and moved as needed. It is possible and easy to design other wall versions, and desk models, if a demand is expressed. To fill the gel container, open the cover of the stainless steel box, which is located at the bottom of the dispenser. The gel bottle is in a separate compartment from the electrical circuit.
To purge and release the air in the hose emptied of disinfectant gel after filling the bottle, it is possible to either use a push button in the device’s system or do it remotely through an application installed on the phone. You can also control the dispenser through this application if needed. The device is perfect for public places (café, restaurants, schools, universities, institutions, banks, factories, companies etc.).
