The Sunday Mail
Sunday Mail Reporters
Local companies are becoming increasingly innovative in coming up with home-grown solutions to the country’s challenges, particularly in the wake of the coronavirus.
Two firms — Labantu Resources and Video Promotions — recently formed a tie-up with Midlands State University (MSU) to develop decontamination booths that can be used at workplaces or gatherings.
The sanitisation booths are suitable for entryways at offices, shops, mines, factories, schools and hospitals.
It is envisaged that the use of these devices will help prevent the spread of Covid-19 and assist companies that have been allowed to reopen.
In an interview with The Sunday Mail, Video Promotions chief executive officer Mr Itai Kwaramba said his company, in partnership with students from MSU, had developed a sanitiser step-in tunnel that provides full-body protection against Covid-19 when entering into buildings.
“We are glad that we developed this device in partnership with students from MSU,” said Mr Kwaramba.
“It is easy to use. We are confident that this will go a long way in the fight against Covid-19 because it provides full-body protection when you are entering into a gathering or building. It is suitable for use by supermarkets, schools, mines, buses and so forth.”
Explaining how the device works, Mr Kwaramba said: “A person steps onto the squared step and the nozzles will be activated to sprinkle the permitted sanitising chemical liquid in a steamy mist from four spraying nozzles on all the sides — that is, front, left, right and overhead.”
An individual can regulate the amount of spraying mist they want sprayed on them.
“One simply stays on the mechanical step for a more prolonged spray or walk through the mechanical step with moderate spray of at least five seconds.
“After that, you walk off and wash off your hands from the front nozzle. Once you step on it, it is activated and when you step off, it is deactivated.”
He said a single device had the capacity to spray 360 people in 30 minutes.
“The motor is attached to the container of either 10 litres to 25 litres, with an option of adding a bigger container of up to 10 000 litres.
‘‘The motor is lithium battery-driven and is charged on mains with an option of solar. Once the battery is charged it lasts for six hours. Twenty litres can spray 360 people at five seconds each.”
Labantu Resources spokesperson Mr Hendrik Boshoff emphasised the self-spraying device’s environmental friendliness and effectiveness in killing the virus.
“We have developed an environmentally friendly sanitising solution. The light mist solution is strong enough to kill the virus on clothing and skin surfaces without dampening the clothes worn or skin. The solution is considered mostly safe for skin contact,” said Mr Boshoff.
Use of the decontamination booths, he added, can enable some factories, which have been closed under the lockdown, to resume operations with guaranteed safety for staff and customers.
“Most importantly, we aim to reduce virus spread and in turn the impact of Covid-19 on the economy, as more industries can resume business safely by employing the sanitation booths for sanitisation of staff and customers on their respective premises.
“Through our production of the sanitation booths, we anticipate job creation and targeted alleviation of high unemployment rates at a time of economic strain on our people.”
The new political administration has been pushing for a renewed thrust that promotes innovation in tertiary education.
Innovation hubs have also been established at local universities to create an enabling environment for ingenuity.
