MIT Solve

Solution Overview

Solution Name:

The Blue Pill Corp

One-line solution summary:

Disinfecting & protecting the Pharynx & adjacent region to stop transmission of nCov inside body through food pipe & wind pipe

Pitch your solution.

It is observed that covid transmission mostly happens when the virus attaches itself to the ACE2 receptors of lung & intestine tissues. We have identified the Pharynx to be the most crucial part that is involved in the virus passageway inside human body.

1. It this present scenario, it is not possible to maintain social distancing & self-isolation for a long time since people need to go to work & come in close contact with other humans.

2. Our solution focuses on protecting the gateway of transmission (pharynx) to stop/ reduce spread of nCov inside human body by A time limited safe exposure of far UV-C (222nm) on the specific region of human body.

3. While people are safe at workplace, it reduces the risk of transmission and strengthen the global economy. Our solution enables individuals to do their required jobs and alongside it helps protect themselves during the course.

Film your elevator pitch.

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What specific problem are you solving?

As stated in the WHO official guidelines, The COVID-19 virus spreads primarily through droplets of saliva or discharge from the nose when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Covid-19 can be transmitted via A) Fomite & droplets, B) contaminated surfaces.

During the initial incubation stage, the virus stays & replicates itself in the throat region. In some researches done by the Public health department, Netherlands, it is also found that very high concentration of virus is found in the upper airway, the nose and the throat. SARS-CoV-2 primarily attaches itself in the epithelial tissues of lungs, binds its spikes to the angiotensin receptors present in intestine, and other organs.

Our solution has two use cases,

222 nm Far UVC lights can be used to disintegrate/ inactivate similar coronaviruses effectively without causing damage to the healthy host tissues. Both the radiation sources have their own advantages & adversities. We, thus want to further explore the possibilities, feasibility & effectiveness of the concept & build on it.

What is your solution?

The conjunction between the Nasal cavity, Oral cavity, Trachea and Esophagus are deeply inter-related and a higher concentration of the viruses must pass through the pharynx at the initial incubation stages to further infect the lungs & other organs.

In our solution we have taken the preventive care approach & proposed a battery operated portable sanitizer/ sterilization device that can prevent/ reduce both droplet based & surface contamination based viral transmission inside the human body by decontaminating the Pharynx & its near regions and stopping the spread at an early stage. This tool can further be used as a surface disinfectant for items like cell phones & other most vulnerable objects that are prone to contract a contamination. A concept design, illustrated for both the use cases is attached. This tool is aimed to be a low cost & affordable personal care device.

Solution Summary & References

Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?

Our solution is primarily targeted to the working professionals but any individual who need to go outside world & come in close contact with other humans can use this solution. It acts as a preventive care measure so that the professionals/ individuals can focus more on the job & less on personal protection.

For example, health workers, desk job employees, industrial production unit professionals, retail shop vendors who come in close contact with a number of other individuals while in duty, will be benefited with this solution.

This protective measure will allow the users to interact with the world safely.

Explain how the problem, your solution, and your solution’s target population relate to the Challenge.

The design approach of this solution is to "protect the keepers" who are constantly serving the community to sustain, be it the health workers, administrative or production unit professionals.

With the global outbreak & rise in infection each day, nCov is constantly stopping both social & economic progress worldwide. Our affordable preventive care device is in line with sustainable solution that MIT solve encourages to build.

In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?

Kolkata, West Bengal, India

What is your solution’s stage of development?

Concept: An idea being explored for its feasibility to build a product, service, or business model based on that idea

Who is the primary delegate for your solution?

Biplab Roy