Eleven months after VST Mobility Solutions launched BIN-19, the medical device that enables collection of used face masks, is proving increasingly useful in the healthcare sector, faced with fighting a second wave of Covid-19.
BIN-19 has been installed in all the District Administration Offices of the State with the support of CSR funds. Recently, the company, which is backed by Kerala Startup Mission, received orders from a European mask manufacturing company to deploy the mask disinfection device in hospitals.
The Kochi-based startup had in June last year developed BIN-19 using IoT (Internet of Things), with knowhow from the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute of Medical Science Technology at Thiruvananthapuram. Of late, amid a fresh spread of the pandemic, BIN-19 is playing a vital role in handling the disposal of used facemasks in the State.
The device has proved very useful in handling Covid waste, experts said.
Recently, authorities said BIN-19 does play a critical role in protecting waste-management employees from the threat of Covid-19. The device has also found wide acceptance across sectors.
BIN-19 facilitates dropping of used masks into the chamber and subsequently enables its disinfection. The disinfected masks are then transferred to another container inside the bin. The person who drops the masks can sanitise his or her hands with the help of BIN-19’s automatic sanitiser dispenser. All this can be done without touching or operating any of the switches of the bin.
The IoT features of the hands-free device ensures a mobile application navigates/ finds BIN-19, besides providing a web portal for alerts on status. The device also has alerts on switching on and off power and opening the box, said Alvin George, chief executive officer, VST.
The start-up has an end-to-end platform on telematics that includes software and hardware products for an intelligent transportation system.