IIT develops UV-technology fitted 'trunk' to sanitise grocery, currency notes

New Delhi: The Indian Institute of Technology has developed a trunk-shaped device fitted with ultraviolet germicidal irradiation technology to aid the fight against COVID-19. You can use the device to sanitise all items brought from outside including grocery and currency notes.

Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation technology method that uses short-wavelength ultraviolet (ultraviolet C or UVC), light to kill or inactivate microorganisms.

If put into commercial production, IIT Ropar’s sanitisation trunk would cost as little as Rs 500, the team at IIT Ropar said.

In 30 minutes, the device will sanitise all items, after which a 10-minute cooling off period is required before one can take the sanitised articles out.

Precaution will be paramount to keeping the coronavirus at bay, IIT Ropar Senior Scientific Officer Naresh Rakha said. “We have developed a device which looks like any trunk in our home, and we recommend it be placed at doorsteps or may be somewhere close to the entrance,” Rakha said.

"Right now there are many who wash vegetables with warm water before using but the same cannot be done with currency notes or wallets. So we have developed a common sanitising solution for everything.”

Apart from currency notes and vegetables, one can sanitise milk packets, packages delivered from online stores, wrist watches, wallets, mobile phones or any documents in the trunk.

"The device is based on ultraviolet germicidal irradiation technology used in water purifiers. We strongly advise not to look directly at the light inside the trunk as it can be harmful," Rakha said.