>> Andrew: DURING THE
CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC WE ALL NEED
TO BE PROTECTED BY MASKS AND
N-935 MASKS NEED TO BE PROTECTED
ONCE THEY ARE USED.
SOME MICHIGAN RESEARCHERS HAVE
COME TO THE RESCUE.
IN THE COVID-19 ERA N-95 MASKS
WERE LIKE GOLD.
HOSPITALS REUSE THESE JEWELS OF
THE PPE WORLD.
SO THEY NEED TO BE
DECONTAMINATED.
MEDICAL FACILITIES USE OVENS TO
DO SO, ALMOST LIKE THE ONE THE
IN YOUR KITCHEN.
>> IT HEATS UP LIKE YOUR KITCHEN
OVEN BUT MUCH MORE HIGHLY
REGULATED AND PRECISE.
NOT ONLY DO YOU CARE ABOUT THE
TEMPERATURE BUT THE HUMIDITY.
I SUPPOSE LIKE WEATHER.
>> Andrew: SUCCESSFULLY
DECONTAMINATING A N-95 MASK MUST
OCCUR 100% OF THE TIME.
IT IS A MATTER OF LIFE OR DEATH.
>> WHEN A HOSPITAL IS USING, FOR
INSTANCE, AN OVEN TO
DECONTAMINATE A MASK HOW DO WE
MAKE SURE THAT IS DONE PROPERLY?
>> Andrew: THIS MICHIGAN
SCIENTIST AND TEAM MAY HAVE
FOUND THE ANSWER WITH A GRANT
FROM THE COVID RAPID GRANT
PROGRAM THEY ARE INVENTING
SENSORS THAT INDIVIDUALLY CAN BE
PAIRED WITH EACH MASK IN AN OVEN
TO LET MEDICAL WORKERS KNOW WHEN
THE PROCESS IS COMPLETE.
THE SYSTEM IS AKIN TO KNOWING
WHEN THE MAIN COURSE OF YOUR
THANKSGIVING DINNER IS READY.
>> THINK OF OUR WORK ON THE
SENSING TONGUE FOR
DECONTAMINATION THE TURKEY
POP-UP DECONTAMINATOR TO KNOW
WHEN THE PROCESS IS DONE TO MEET
THE SAFETY AND EFFICACY
EXPECTATIONS FOR THE HEALTH CARE
PROFESSIONALS.
WE ARE USING SENSORS TO MAKE
SURE WE STAY IN THE GOLDILOCKS
ZONE SUCH THAT THE MASKS CANNOT
ONLY BE REUSED SAFELY BUT ALSO
VERIFY THAT WE HAVEN’T MADE A
MISTAKE.
>> Andrew: SEVERAL SENSORS CAN
BE USED AT ONE TIME.
CONVENIENTLY, THEY ARE TINY AND
WIRELESS.
>> THESE WIRES ARE CUMBERSOME
AND WE KNOW THAT EVERY HOSPITAL
IS BUILDING THEIR OWN SYSTEM A
LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY, SO WE
WANTED TO PROVIDE THEM WITH A
SYSTEM THAT WAS ESSENTIALLY
SPRINKLE IT IN YOUR OVEN, NO
WIRES NECESSARY TO MAKE IT
REALLY EASY.
>> Andrew: THIS WILL GO A LONG
WAY FOR HOSPITALS IN RURAL
COMMUNITIES AND IN AREAS WHERE
RESOURCES ARE ROUTINELY
STRETCHED THIN.
THEY HAVE A PROTOTYPE AND THEIR
WORK IS BEING REVIEWED BY THEIR
PEERS.
ONCE COMPLETE THE TEAM, WHICH
INCLUDES STUDENTS, WILL SHARE
THEIR INFORMATION WITH HOSPITALS
FOR FREE.
>> OUR REWARDS SYSTEM IS BASED
UPON INFORMING AND ADVANCING
SOCIETY, GIVING INFORMATION.
THEY CAN IT KNOW THE SCIENTISTS
HAVE FINISHED RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT AND NOW THEY JUST
HAVE TO FIGURE OUT THE
DEVELOPMENT INSTEAD OF I WONDER
IF THIS WILL WORK.
WE ARE FIGURING OUT HOW, WILL
THIS WORK FOR THEM.
THE STUDENTS ARE VERY ENERGIZED
AND FEEL LIKE THEY ARE MAKING
ARCHESADIFFERENCE IN THEIR COMMU
>> Andrew: AMAZING.
THAT IS THE TEAM LEADER FROM THE
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN THE TEAM
LEADER DOING PHENOMENAL WORK.
PROFESSIONALS AND STUDENTS
DEVELOPING THIS TECHNOLOGY
WORKING THROUGH THE COVID-19
ERA.
FAMILIES OF INTERNATIONAL
STUDENT NOT KNOWING IF THEY CAN
COME BACK TO THE UNITED STATES
OR WHEN AND SOME CAME DOWN WITH
THE CORONAVIRUS WHILE THEY WERE
WORKING.
FORTUNATELY, THEY SURVIVED AND
ALL OF THEM THROUGH IT ALL
WORKING HARD TO CREATE
TECHNOLOGY TO HELP OTHERS.
THAT’S TECH TIME WITH ME, ANDREW
HUMPHREY.
BACK TO YOU.
>>Priya: IT IS IMPORTANT TO
KEEP YOURSELF SAFE AND GREAT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT HE CAN REUSE
THE ENVIRONMENT HE CAN REUSE
THEM AND KEEP YOURSELF SAFE.
>> Grant: AND HAPPENING HERE.
>> Andrew: THE SENSOR
TECHNOLOGY MAKING SURE THE MASKS CAN BE REUSED.
CAN BE REUSED.
IT IS A HELP TO WORKERS