Medical Device Sanitation

Project Mission:

The Medical Device Sanitation project is working on designing and creating a small portable device designed to enhance medical instrument sterilization in a convenient and eco-friendly manner. The device harnesses the power of solar energy to transform water into high-temperature steam, providing an efficient and effective means of sanitizing small medical devices like scalpels, tweezers, etc.

Compact, lightweight, and economical the device is meant to be utilized in various healthcare settings, including clinics and field operations. With thousands of deaths yearly in remote areas due to poor sanitation regimes, our device aims to provide an easy and sustainable solution.

To achieve this, we plan to implement advanced solar panel technology, which efficiently captures and converts sunlight into electrical energy. This energy powers an integrated heating element, rapidly raising the temperature of the water stored within the device. As the water reaches its boiling point, it is transformed into powerful steam, effectively eliminating harmful microorganisms and bacteria from the medical instruments.

Future Goals:

The device is still in early stages and we plan to get a final prototype ready by the end of the year. To achieve this, we plan on several iterative designs and continued testing to help us understand how best to meet the community’s needs. We are also in contact with various organizations that could potentially use the device in the field and plan to leverage their experience to improve upon the product. 

Join Our Project:

Annabella Amara (aamara@andrew.cmu.edu)