Trial for Covid-19 Swab Test Booth designed by ITS

ITS Campus, ITS News — Once again Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology (ITS) took part in facing the outbreak of Covid-19. This time, ITS produces innovations in the form of Covid-19 Swab Test Booth which is the result of collaboration with Universitas Airlangga (Unair).

ITS Vice Rector IV The field of research, innovation, cooperation, and alumni Bambang Pramujati ST MScEng PhD said, the manufacture of this test chamber is based on the complaint of Universitas Airlangga University (RSUA) related to the risk of the doctor’s exposure when taking samples swab. “From the discussion, the idea of modifying the existing sterilizer chamber into a swab test booth,” he said.

According to Bambang, this swab test booth can be a solution for the limitation of Personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare personnel in handling the current Covid-19 inspection. So that it can minimize physical contact with the patient or the person being examined.

Bambang explained, just as some innovations before, this swab test booth is also a collaboration with Unair, in this case for RSUA. He said ITS and Unair itself became partners in the research consortium relating to the Covid-19 with the funding of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN). Some of the topics are robots (Raisa and Violeta) as well as the smart syringe pump.

Trial for Covid-19 Swab Test Booth designed by ITS

As Bambang explained, there are also other products that are under cooperation but not with BRIN funding. These products are such as chamber sterilization, face shield, and swab box. “ITS The realization of the idea, either from ITS or Unair, and the to be used in RSUA,” Bambang said again.

He also added ITS saw this opportunity as another opportunity to help the medical team to be safer and more comfortable in carrying out its duties. “After the other products of innovation have also been utilized by many parties,” said the lecturer from Faculty of Mechanical Engineering Department.

Bambang said ITS newly produced two units swab test booth for RSUA. Because, for now there are no certain orders for the needs of the box. The swab test booth needs is not as much as the sterilization chamber because its need depends on the procedure of taking a sample swab to the patient in the hospital. “However, when there is another need for ITS ready to produce again,” he said optimistically.

ITS swab test booth is slightly different from the existing swab test booths. The chairman of the swab test booth innovation project, Djoko Kuswanto ST. MBiotech, explained that the test booth is equipped with UV lamps for room sterilization and protect the operator. “The booth also has air conditioning with HEPA filter to support the safety and comfort of the operator,” explained the lecturer of industrial product design department.

In this booth, Djoko explained, a swabbing device placed at a small table in the front of the booth. To do the test, the operator’s hand will be through a safety hole equipped with a Handschoen (proboscis arm). The operator’s communication with the patient can be through the loudspeakers installed in the room.

Djoko also explained that the air pressure in the booth was designed in such a way that it was more positive than the air pressure outside the booth. It aims to allow the air to flow out of the booth instead of inside. This innovative swab test booth also has a curved design on the front matched anthropometry operator.

This innovation, said Djoko, is a collaborative range of disciplines. ITS Industrial Product Design Department works in anthropometry aspects, ergonomics, and design room builds. The Department of Physics in the field of medical physics and the Faculty of Vocations work on room sterilization systems. While the microbiology division of RSUA and Dr Soetomo are involved in working in the swab operator supervision.

Concurrently as the Test Room designer swab, Djoko hopes this innovation can be used according to the expectations and objectives of its development and can protect the health workforce optimally without eliminating the comfort aspect. (fat/Anjani/ITS Public Relation Officer)

ITS Test Swab booth equipped with proboscis sleeves, loudspeakers for communication, and UV rays for sterilization