LASU produces ingenious automated solar-powered handwashing station machine

The Lagos State University (LASU), Faculty of Engineering, COVID-19 Research Team, says it has produced an Automated Solar-Powered Handwashing Station Machine.

The leader of COVID-19 team, Dr Nurudeen Raji, made this known at the presentation and demonstration of the machines on Tuesday at the institution campus in Ojo, Lagos.

According to Raji, the machine is part of the institution’s contributions to the fight against the ravaging Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the country.

He said that the solar-powered handwashing station machine did not require any touch from the user, but rather, has one switch to power it on automatically.

“The machine uses two small rechargeable batteries which can power the system continuously for a year.

“The supply of water to the machine was done through a transparent hose and can be connected to either side of the machine, while another hose drains waste water to a nearby ground for proper disposal.

“The machine has LED indicators to visually indicate when it is charging and when it is working.

“It has a soap dispensers which can serve 1,000 users at each refill,” he said.

Raji explained that the automated solar-powered handwashing station machine was simple to use, and accommodate three users at a time, with one metre distance in between them.

In his opening remarks, Prof. Elkanah Oyetunji, the Dean, Faculty of Engineering, LASU, said that the machine would no doubt be very useful for large number of people.

Oyetunji added that the project was successful, because a lot of challenges were thrown at the researchers to come up with innovations on the COVID-19 pandemic, just like other institutions were doing.

“The research team was able to come up with this automated solar-powered handwashing station machine.

“It enables three persons to wash their hands at the same time, taking into consideration the social distancing regulations of government.

“I thank the Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE), Victoria Island branch, for sponsoring the prototype of the machine,” he said.

Also, Mr John Audu, Chairman of NSE, Victoria Island branch, said that his branch decided to partner with the Faculty of Engineering of the university to carry out research to provide solutions to the pandemic in our country.

“Such collaborations in the past with other institutions did not yield any positive results, but LASU’s case has been a huge success and I am highly impressed with the Faculty of Engineering, and we are willing to do more.

“I appreciate Prof. Olumuyiwa Odusanya, the Director, LASU, Directorate of Research Management and Innovations, for his contributions toward making the project a reality,” Audu said.

In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Olarenwaju Fagbohun, lauded the NSE for its willingness to partner with the Faculty of Engineering in sponsoring the production of the machine.

Fagbohun urged the faculty team to leverage on the support of NSE to come up with many other laudable research works that would stand the test of time and equally benefit humanity.

“We must sustain the collaboration, which is already in existence between the two bodies, to achieve our dreams and have a Memorandum of Understanding with the Nigeria Society of Engineers for a robust relationship and continuity,” he said.