ITI Berhampur develops UVC sole sanitizer machine for disinfection of shoes
Odisha's ITI Berhampur has developed India's first ultraviolet-C (UV) sole sanitizer machine for the disinfection of shoes. It was launched by Subroto Bagchi, Chairman Odisha Skill Development Authority, during a webinar on Monday. The first machine was installed at a COVID-19 hospital in Sitalapalli. The device has a covered portable platform with a shoe sole receiving surface.
The person will have to stand on the machine, placing shoe soles on the surface. Within just eight seconds, the sanitization process will get completed. The innovation costs Rs 6,000-7,000.
Dr. Rajat Kumar Panigrahy, principal of the Industrial Training Institute (ITI), said that the machine produces adequate energy to damage and alter DNA of all kinds of potentially harmful microorganisms at the bottom of shoes. Meanwhile, Bagchi said the activity of manufacturing and marketing will develop the entrepreneur skills and thousands of nano unicorns could be created. "We have to focus the right product at the right time," he said.
Dr. Rudra Prasad Achary of Max Super Specialist Hospital (Delhi) too was of the view that the development is a unique one and can be used at the entrances of houses and public places like hospitals, offices, airports, railway stations, shopping malls, hotels, and institutes.
"This shows a new era of design where we can beat the Chinese competition and utilize our experience to produce low cost, market-friendly and reliable products," Anita Rajan, CEO Tata Strive, who was also a participant at the webinar, said.
Director of Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Berhampur, Professor KVR Chary handed over the first device to Dr. Umashankar Mishra, head of the COVID-19 hospital in Sitalapalli.
