Keeping hospitals clean is important. They are places where we go to get treatment and heal, so we need to make sure they are safe and sanitized.
With so many people coming in and out, germs can spread quickly, especially on door handles, which are some of the biggest trouble spots. And we don’t want that.
But imagine if there were a door handle that cleans itself after every use. How much safer would that be?
Well, a student from Jamaica came up with just that idea. Amazing, right?
Rayvon Stewart, a Jamaican student, created a model for a door handle that disinfects itself after being touched.
This invention can be a big help for hospitals, hotels, and other businesses, especially during times like the COVID-19 pandemic.
At 23, Stewart designed the Xermosol, a self-sanitizing door handle, while studying at the University of Technology in Jamaica. It can kill 99.9% of germs and is safe for people and pets.
The handle resembles Pac-Man, with two-thirds containing the technology under a gray shell. Then the part you hold to open the door is kept clean by ultraviolet lights that turn on when you touch it. It takes about 30 seconds to disinfect.
Image Credit: Rayvon Stewart
This is quite important in the Caribbean, where bacteria can grow quickly because of the warm climate.
Stewart has been working hard to bring his product to market and has even received a provisional patent for it. He also won awards like Jamaica’s Prime Minister’s National Youth Award and the Commonwealth Health Innovations Awards.
Now, you might wonder, How did Stewart come up with this idea?
He grew up in a poor household with his grandmother in Mount Prospect. His initial project was a 3D modeling software for online shopping. While volunteering in a hospital, he noticed how patients struggled with hygiene and how hard it was for nurses to keep things sanitary. It inspired him to create Xermosol.
Now, his invention represents the hopeful science and technology talent in the Caribbean. Experts like Dr. Camille-Ann Thoms-Rodriguez say that while Xermosol doesn’t replace cleaning guidelines, it’s a valuable tool for infection control.
At a product launch, Alison Drayton from the Caribbean Community (Caricom) called it a “meaningful solution” and a “life-saving design” that directly benefits the region.
Comment below with your thoughts. Can you think of other ways to keep door handles sanitized?
Written by 
