Swansea University is developing technology aimed at significantly reducing the time it takes to sanitise ambulances to supporting the NHS in the fight against Covid-19.
A research team at the university has successfully won funding to reduce the time it takes to sanitise ambulances after carrying a suspected Covid-19 positive patient from the normal 45 minutes to under 20 minutes.
Led by the Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) Centre of Excellence and Welsh Ambulance Service, the challenge was to reduce the current turnaround time to deep clean a vehicle and get it back on the road.
Devised and developed in under two weeks, interest in the challenge was overwhelming, with over 200 proposed solutions from across the 海角视频. Swansea University were among the 12 top ranked bids securing funding and support.
Swansea University鈥檚 solution will see them test a new rapid-release gas treatment for ambulances, which could remove Covid-19 contamination from surfaces and the air, in under twenty minutes, removing human cleaning intervention.
Support for the challenge has been provided by the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) and government scientists based at Porton Down.
If trials are successful, it could also be rolled out for other blue light services, public transport and hospital wards.
Dr Chedly Tizaoui, chemical engineer and principal investigator of the project said: 鈥淪wansea University are delighted to be working with the support of the Welsh Ambulance Service, Welsh Government and the Welsh SBRI Centre of Excellence to deliver a potential rapid solution for ambulance cleaning.聽 It is a great opportunity for us to assist front line services and our Health colleagues in the fight against Covid19.鈥
As the principal investigator, Dr Tizaoui will be working on the project with colleagues Professor Dave Worsley and Professor Peter Holliman.
Minister for Education,聽 Kirsty Williams, said: 鈥淥ur universities and colleges have been at the forefront of the battle against the coronavirus, deploying doctors and nurses to the NHS frontline and joining the international effort to find a cure.
鈥淎s a Government, we are exploring many routes to help combat the coronavirus.聽 Working with Welsh and 海角视频 partners, this competition shows how innovation can be applied quickly to emergency situations.
鈥淚鈥檓 proud that a Welsh University has got through to the funding stage of the competition, demonstrating how our universities apply their academic expertise to meet the biggest challenges we face.鈥
