The UV-C radiation warps the structure of the RNA, preventing the coronavirus from multiplying

The DRDO had earlier developed Personnel Sanitisation Enclosure (PSE), sanitisers, personal protective equipment (PPE), detection kits as well as ventilators to better equip the country in dealing with the disease

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has been continuously using the existing technology and developing products that would help the country tackle the COVID-19 pandemic more effectively. Earlier, it had created Personnel Sanitisation Enclosure (PSE), sanitisers, personal protective equipment (PPE), detection kits as well as ventilators to better equip the country in dealing with the disease. The DRDO has now enhanced its list of products and included two more technologies – automatic mist-based sanitiser dispensing unit and UV sanitisation box and hand-held UV device, the military research organisation said in a press release.

Automatic Mist-Based Sanitiser Dispensing Unit

The DRDO’s Centre for Fire Explosive and Environment Safety (CFEES), Delhi, applied the mist technology it uses in fire suppression to develop an automatic sanitiser dispenser, a contactless unit which sprays alcohol-based hand rub sanitiser to be used at the entrances of offices and buildings. The water mist aerator technology has been used in the dispensing unit and the technology was designed to conserve water.

The unit is activated without contact with the help of an ultrasonic sensor. The mist is dispensed from a single nozzle and the rate of flow is low in order to minimise wastage. The dispenser releases 5-6ml of solution over 12 seconds in one go, and the dispensation is in the shape of a cone so that both the hands are covered with the solution, the DRDO statement said.

The compact unit also has the option to fill it in bulk, hence making it more economical for the establishments, and can be mounted on a wall or kept on a platform. Moreover, an LED light illuminates the spray of the mist to indicate operation. A unit has been installed at the DRDO Bhawan.

UV Sanitisation Box And Hand-held UV Device

Two of DRDO’s Delhi laboratories – Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences (DIPAS) and Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS) – have developed sanitisation box and hand-held device, both based on Ultraviolet-C (UV-C) light, which consists of a shorter wavelength particularly good at destroying the genetic material in COVID-19, the DRDO release said. The UV-C radiation warps the structure of the RNA, preventing the coronavirus from multiplying, it added.

The DRDO press release said that sanitisation of items using the UV-C-based items would help users in avoiding the harmful effects chemical disinfection can have, adding that their technology is environment friendly and also contactless.

Furthermore, while the box has been designed for disinfection of personal items like mobile phones, purse, tablets, currency, office file covers, etc, the hand-held device can be used to disinfect objects such as chairs, food packets, postal delivered packages and files etc in office as well as the households.