This project was created during the Covid 19 lockdowns in 2021 and was created in collaboration with an industry-leading household cleaning appliance brand. The brief was to research and identify how household cleaning routines had changed during the pandemic and create a product in response to these changes.
To start the project, I conducted a questionnaire to research how and why people clean their homes and how that has changed during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The results from this questionnaire show that most people are cleaning their homes more often during the pandemic because since they were spending more time at home, more mess was being created. People tend to dislike cleaning, and when asked what their dream cleaning product would be, many wanted a machine that would clean their house for them, would take little effort on behalf of the user, and would ideally protect their household from the spread of Covid.
A product such as a 2-in-1 Air Purifier and Sanitising Chamber would be something the user can switch on, and the product would clean and sanitise the air in the house throughout the day.
Covid-19 is mainly transmitted from person to person in two ways; through the air, and through physical contact.
The 2-in-1 Air Purifier and Sanitising Chamber aims to help combat the spread of the Coronavirus by disinfecting the air and physical objects.
This product may be ideal for essential workers, especially health workers, who have family members shielding at home.
The 2-in-1 Air Purifier and Sanitising Chamber aims to help combat the spread of the Coronavirus by disinfecting the air and physical objects.
This product may be ideal for essential workers, especially health workers, who have family members shielding at home.
Through the use of UVC light, the air purifier kills not only Covid-19 particles but also other pathogenic micro-organisms. The HEPA filter also traps viruses and bacteria in the air, removing 99.99% of particles down to 0.3 micrometres. Dust and other allergens, such as pollen, will also be filtered out, leaving clean, fresh air to breathe.
UVC light effectively disinfects objects by emitting short-wave ultraviolet light, which damages micro-organisms' DNA and leaves them unable to perform the necessary functions to survive. However, UVC light can also be damaging to humans, as direct contact can cause rapid sunburns, skin cancer, and impaired vision, which is why UVC light needs to be safely contained.
However, new research indicates that UVC light at shorter wavelengths – sometimes called “Far UVC”- is just as effective as conventionally used wavelengths of UVC and is safe for human contact.
The air purifier works through the fan sucking in the surrounding air, which travels through the HEPA filter, where dust, pollen, and some larger micro-organisms will be filtered out. The 4 UVC lights shine on the air and disinfect it. The clean air flows back out into the room from the vents near the top of the product. While the purifier may not filter out and disinfect 100% of the air with every pass, the air will get progressively cleaner through each cycle.
The sanitising chamber works by the user placing the desired item to be disinfected onto the wire rack in the chamber and closing the lid. The light from the UVC lamps contacts the object from all sides, and after a few minutes, all the surfaces that the light has come in contact with will be disinfected. This disinfection method is less labour intensive, more environmentally friendly, more economical long-term and healthier for the skin than using antibacterial and antiviral sprays and wipes for disinfection.
