E-Luminate Smart UVC lightbulbs

The World Health Organization (WHO) finds low income countries suffer nine times higher mortality rates compared to high income countries through easily preventable diseases. Having a simple device which reduces transmission of airborne illnesses such as measles, influenza, and smallpox will be highly valuable in preventing those diseases. UV lights have been widely used in the hospitality industry for inactivating a broad array of airborne diseases. We propose an expansion on this that will combine UV lights with solar energy, and smart sensors that monitor air quality. The final output would drastically reduce the transmission of airborne illnesses.

The problem is that low income countries suffer much higher mortality rates because of inadequate sanitation techniques and appliances. We are attempting to create a product that is high impact, cheap to implement, and high adaptability. The product uses inexpensive and widely available UV lights with a mix of solar & embedded sensor tech to be a self-sustaining device that sanitizes air & surface level bacteria.

People who live in low-income areas without access to sanitation appliances such as dish-washers, hand dryers, and (in some cases) respirators, would be particularly affected by our UVC smart-bulb technology. A UVC light is a proven method to inactivate airborne infectious diseases & eliminate bacteria at the surface level, and our proposed solution would require almost no behavioral change in the population. 

The solution is to combine UVC lights with solar, sensors, microprocessor, and battery to create a hands-off germicidal lamp.

The innovation lies in connecting existing air quality sensors, solar and UVC bulb technology. The resultant technology has multiple applications that will particularly benefit third-world populations and public spaces such as international airports.

Solar energy hardware, air quality sensors (hardwarde & software), UVC lightbulbs.

Because the technology requires little behavioral change, it will seamlessly integrate into a population and provide immediate benefits.

Current: 0

1 year: more research needed

5 years: more research needed

Our goals are to eliminate airborne diseases and deaths that directly relate to sanitation, worldwide. The reduction or elimination of these diseases would also impact the ease of international travel for all people.

More research needed.

More research needed.

3 full-time staff.

None, currently.