Self Sanitizing Door Handle | Hacker News Reader

Self Sanitizing Door Handle

jamesdysonaward.org

64 pointsrendaw59 comments

An interesting take. There is also brass and coppers that self-sanitize, albeit more slowly: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11279221/

And for metal surfaces which are not self-sanitizing by nature, like steel, there are coatings which can be applied to achieve the same effect. This is often used in public transport.

Citation? Microban et al are marketing bunk.

Microban is a company, not a product, and they make a wide range of products, some of which are zinc or silver based coatings and effective in slowing the growth of bacteria and fungus.

Cool idea and cool looking, but just want to point out that surface transmission of infections is several orders of magnitude less common than airborne transmission.

And easily thwarted by washing your hands.

And then grabbing the bathroom door handle.

With my sleeve.

(Although I did see a lot of foot-operated door handles emerge on public restroom doors during the covid years. They're mounted down low, near the floor, and you can just put your shoe on them and drag the door open without using hands. They make sense to me for what I think are a lot of good reasons.)

The Metro (trains) stations in my city have foot-operated levers (pedals) to control the elevators/lifts, doors, toilet taps/faucets (though the urinal themselves have sensors to auto-flush), etc.

Although, as a precaution, I carry a hand-sanitizer and fresh mask in my bag whenever I commute on such public transportation.

I guess the pandemic (and the eerie realisation that it can repeat anytime, since it was decidedly an artificial one) has attuned me to be more vigilant on my safety and health, so I try to be cautious and safe in public where crowds can gather.

Grab bathroom door handle with a napkin then or use a pocket hand sanitizer

If we're talking sanitation tech: I'm personally really excited by the further miniaturization of (far)-UVC light sources [1]. Far-UVC lamps deactivate airborne pathogens, but cannot penetrate the human eyes or skin making them generally safe to use.

Right now they do require rather bulky lamps (Krypton Chloride), but last I checked there had been promising advancements in producing far-UVC LEDs [2]. Which should make installation and deployment of far-UVC both more practical and economical in the future.

[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Far-UVC

[2]: https://ece.engin.umich.edu/stories/ece-spinout-company-ns-n...

I thought it would be about that red hot door handle from Home Alone.

Hundreds year old technology used in houses, hospitals and public places - handles made of bronze.

The TiO2 will likely rub off and need regular replenishment. Also, the alternative here, sensor-operated or button-operated automatic doors are already widely used. I wonder who this is meant for?

This is probably easier to install or retrofit than an automatic door, seeing as it self powers

Motion sensors and push plates aren't perfect, but they remove the contact vector entirely instead of trying to mitigate it after the fact

One thing that I wondered after reading this, it mentions SARS but then it mentions killing bacteria, but SARS is a virus. Does this have any affects on viruses?

Bacteria are larger than viruses, so yes.

Sounds like a problem not worth solving? In my wework the handles get wiped down as per the cleanign protocol. Takes what, a second? The costs are marginal.

I suppose a second every few hours over dozens of doors adds up. And this has the benefit of being continual, so you don't get build up between cleans.

I'm sceptical myself that the tiny generator they have could produce enough energy, and that the coating they have won't be more of a hassle, but the idea is reasonable

How about silver plating?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brass

What about bathroom doors that are touched constantly?

Use your foot.

https://old.reddit.com/r/mildlyinteresting/comments/1kb994/t...

I use my elbow. It is the same recommendation as to cough to your elbow. You do not touch with your elbow on yourself or others so it is generally safe.

Unfortunately not always practical due to poorly designed handles and lock mechanisms. I usually "sacrifice" my little finger for this when I have to use my hands, with the theory that I'm much less likely to put that finger in my mouth or eye etc.

My "Plan B" is the paper towel I dried my hands with. Though bathroom layout, missing trash cans, and lack of paper towels occasionally foil that.

in iffy situations I use my fathers method, which is the systematic prevention of transfer, even if you must touch things or people (doctor,pathologist,forensics) in less than ideal circumstances, hard to describe, easy to demonstrate.

Alternatively, the back of your knee:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkLfAG0AAzQ

Though this is more for the coughing/sneezing rather than the door opening.

Wash your hands after touching the bathroom door, then lean on the door with your shoulder. If you have to use a door handle to exit the bathroom (the door swings into the bathroom), it means the bathroom is poorly designed, so use the paper towel that you dried your hands off with.

I rarely see paper towels in bathrooms these days. 99% of the time it's an electric hand dryer.

Where I think this kind of idea tries to make its case is in places where cleaning is infrequent, inconsistent, or happens long after peak use

On every usage??

How often do they get wiped, and how dirty do they get in between? The idea here seems to be keeping them sanitary continuously.

Why not a door you can push open both ways?

You have to let the engineers over-engineer. It's a healthy release.

Or, you know, just use brass:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antimicrobial_copper-alloy_tou...

Came here to find/post this comment :D

Me too lol

Not sure how quickly the one from the post takes, but according to the Wikipedia article, brass disinfects "within two hours or less". I could see plenty of transmission within one to two hours. Perhaps it is a difference of speed?

Still, all regular handles, at least in hospitals, should be uncoated brass. Whenever I see chromed plated handles, slightly worn, exposing the brass below, I think "such a missed opportunity". It shouldn't have been plated to begin with.

Why not just use brass? Seems like a solution in search of a problem.

Aside, it’s obnoxious how many bathroom doors in public places like restaurants require you to pull the door handle to leave.

It should be pull to enter, push to leave so that you aren’t fouling your washed hands on the poopy door handle.

Even dumber is when they have those foot operated handles to exit. Why is it push to enter, pull to exit at all?

> Why is it push to enter, pull to exit at all?

So that in an emergency your escape route can't be blocked. Also having doors swing out into corridors is bad practice as you're more likely to open it into someone walking past.

Good points. Final draft: bathrooms should have full-length saloon / swing doors split down the middle. Now you can push both directions, and the doors won't arc out enough into the hallway to hit someone.

Yes and inward swinging is a building code requirement in most jurisdictions per the ICC

https://codes.iccsafe.org/s/IBC2018/chapter-10-means-of-egre...

How quickly would this kill bacteria? If 3 people used it in quick succession, it would still transfer bacteria, I imagine?

Many public buildings and elevators in Hong Kong installed wireless controls, simply wave your hand in front of a little hole (ultrasonic sensor?) next to the floor button you want to go to. Curious to find out in which mall they installed this in!

Or use copper

I have copper light switches and other fittings and was interested to learn they have the same useful property.

I was expecting it to just dispense hand sanitiser gel straight onto the handle.

I suppose this is a more practical take.

This feels like a thoughtful engineering project and a strong competition entry yet without a clear niche

(2019)

What makes you think so? One of the section titles says "Your inspiration" (rather than "Our inspiration"), which sounds like ChatGPT was writing to them. That wasn't around in 2019.

see the url, dysonaward ... so probably the site/judges asking/interviewing the inventor of this product.

also:

Awards - Elevator Pitch Competion 2018

Where are they now - Self-Sanitising Door Handle, 2019 Hong Kong James Dyson Award winner https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiLPyOKRcJo

I doubt they used ChatGPT, considering the spelling mistakes

Clicked away after 3 popups

I guess my "I still don't care about cookies" add-on prevents the pop-ups, but one of the other add-ons prevents the video from playing. Or the site is just broken.

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