Preventing airborne transmission of viruses by decentralised air purification
| Host Organisation: | Paradigm Shift (RTD) Ltd |
| Project Budget: | 141.238,40 € |
| IDEK Funding: | 119.999,00 € |
The project focuses on the technology maturation, industrialisation, and market introduction of a system for minimising airborne transmission of diseases by ""arresting"" respiratory droplets as soon as they are generated. The system comprises a number of decentralised air purification units that are distributed in a space, in close proximity to where people are sitting or passing, so that exhaled droplets are captured by the suction of the purifier. The system can be effectively used in offices, schools, or restaurants/cafes. The system is comprises of three core components: core engine, intake, and controls. For example, in an office environment, the intake can take the format of a desk divider. It provides delineation of personal space and a physical shield, and in operation it immediately ""arrests"" respiratory droplets preventing them from spreading around the office. Important innovative features of the system are (i) the ability to have air intakes that match the environment (desk divider in an office for example), (ii) the coordination of the multiple units in the space to optimise airflows and respond to people's movements, and (iii) the removal of prefilters for washing and regeneration through an accessory that prevents contact with any possibly contaminated surface.
The system is aimed to the international market, our plan is to achieve sales impetus by fast introduction to the market in collaboration with major international furniture manufactures. First validation will be done in the Cypriot market, where we hope that a quick success story will place Cyprus on the map of countries that have come up with effective means of dealing with pandemics. The impact of the adoption of this system will be very high as could act as an enabler for many businesses to get back into a normal operation sooner, and manage to survive the economic storm ahead of us.