Aimed at students around the world, the Global Grad Show’s call for projects, to help resolve collateral issues related to Covid-19, is now closed. Zoom in on some of the projects submitted to the Emirati incubator.
At the beginning of April, the Global Grad Show launched a call for applications to the international community in order to resolve the collateral problems linked to the coronavirus pandemic which is currently raging (home quarantine, decontamination of public areas or question of patient screening, etc.) . Some 400 projects from 125 universities in 40 countries, and relating to design, science, technology and engineering were selected. The proposals have been selected by a team of healthcare professionals and innovation specialists, who will then support their development.
Organized in partnership with the Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD), and funded by ARM Holding and Dubai Culture, the Global Grad Show will sponsor each successful project through prototypes and testing. The selected students will have their tuition fees covered by the non-profit initiative, and the relevant departments or professors will be awarded an equivalent scholarship.
Be protected in all situations
Healthcare workers, who are on the front lines in the fight against the Covid-19 coronavirus, face a shortage of protective equipment. To remedy this, the student of the Rhode Island School of Design (United States) Elena Huang offers “Personal Protection Equipment”. This integrated network of production and consumption of medical-grade supplies would link scientists, engineers and designers to coordinate the demand and distribution of essential personal protective equipment in the event of an emergency.
The Covid-19 in France has killed nearly 20,000 people. At the peak of the epidemic, hospitals and EPHADs around the world had to prohibit the families of the sick from a final visit. A situation that Maria José Alvarez Estrada and Héctor Mendoza Alvizo from Tecnológico de Monterrey (Mexico) reflected on. The two design students imagine “The Farewell Suit”, a protective suit that meets hospital health standards, to allow family members of dying patients to say goodbye to them, in the most humane way possible.
Lauren Mioyko contemplates the worst. The student from the Rochester Institute of Technology (United States) imagines a one-piece suit, to allow coming and going “normally” in the event of a prolonged pandemic. “Earth Suit” is a real armor: composed of an integrated helmet, it covers the entire body. This prevents droplets of infected material from being sprayed on hair or clothing, and then transported to the home.
Disinfect public areas s
Barrier gestures are recommendations put in place to protect themselves and others against Covid-19. Among them, washing your hands regularly. This gesture seems harmless to the majority of the population, but it turns out to be complicated or even impossible for some. With “SOAP”, the two students of the Universidad Nacional del Litoral (Argentina) Milagros Trucco and Jorge Giovino offer a solution to the homeless who do not have access to basic hygiene items: this simple soap container is connects to any water source available in public space. Its open source design even allows anyone with a 3D printer to build and install it.
When deconfinement comes, professional life will gradually restart. Employees will find their way back to offices and with that, to elevators. This limited space is a real germ nest, especially the button panel. A team of tech and design students from the Singapore University of Technology and Design (Singapore) are creating a sanitizing robot called “Clean it Clean”. As soon as a user has chosen their floor using a button, the robot will automatically activate on its sliding frame, thanks to motion sensors.
Help isolated and destitute people
It is difficult to manage the pandemic especially in remote and poor regions of the world, such as the Peruvian desert. The local collective Social Chain intends to fight this scourge with “Qenqo”. This mobile terminal allows them to educate these populations on basic hygiene practices, and gives them access to safe drinking water.
Older characters with dementia are more likely to be affected by loneliness, isolation and depression. A situation which is exacerbated by the current confinement, which cuts them off from any contact with the outside. Taylor Greenberg Goldy, Harvard Design Engineering graduate, is developing “Gem” to combat this phenomenon. This tool allows caregivers, but also families, to learn cognitive therapies related to elderly people with dementia – via teletherapy. Activities are designed to use scientifically proven methods to reduce the decline of dementia while promoting optimal interaction.
Make containment fun
Lockdown is a difficult time for everyone, including children. Isolated from their classmates, they are forced to evolve in tight spaces, without the possibility of spending their energy. In order to entertain the youngest while educating them, Marie Cadoret offers “Early Learning”. The student from École Boulle (France) imagined four educational tools allowing them to explore space, colors and textures.
For adults, confinement involves the temporary stopping of outings to restaurants or bars. The restaurant and entertainment industry is one of the hardest hit. A quartet of Italian engineers offers virtual reality support with “Virtual Bar”. Virtual visitors can enter, meet friends and interact with new people at partner bars. They can generate income for their virtual presence, by delivering food ordered online or by selling entrance tickets.
