The UDA delivers a prototype cabin to take tests of Covid-19

The Faculty of Design, Architecture and Art delivered this Tuesday, April 21, to the Ministry of Health the first prototype of a cabin to take samples of coronavirus.

This mobile prototype will allow doctors to obtain these samples without the need to constantly change safety equipment.

"When we worked with the Ministry in the production of facial masks and intubation and extubation booths, this problem arose for Health professionals to have to constantly change their costume, in a situation where resources are limited," he explained. Professor José Luis Fajardo and added:

"There arises a request for a booth that isolates the doctor who takes the samples."

The Ministry of Health held a workshop to develop ideas of how this prototype should be, they sent the requirements to the Faculty and the teachers of TexLab (Textile laboratory) and DisLab (Laboratory and Design workshops) began with the design.

"Then the structure was assembled and ergonomic issues, usability and other special conditions were solved with the people from the Ministry, above all, because the cabin will be anchored in a van to make it mobile, and thus take the tests in the house ”, explained the teacher.

Thanks to this booth, all the medical personnel have to do is change the gloves between taking and taking samples, not the entire suit, and carry out a disinfection following a protocol that is developed with the Ministry.

Dean Genoveva Malo indicated that the project is a source of joy for everyone in the Facultdad "because it reaffirms the principles that underlie the Design profession and its social vision: to give efficient, creative and functional responses to the needs of the environment". 

Facial masks and intubation buckets

The Faculty of Design became involved in the Health crisis generated by Covid-19 a week ago, with the production of masks for healthcare personnel, especially for internists from the UDA Faculty of Medicine who are on the front line of fight the virus.

"Then, in coordination with the Faculty of Medicine, together with its Dean, Doctor Galo Duque, we started manufacturing cubes for intubation / extubation," says Genoveva Malo.

Professors from DisLab -Felipe Valdez, Leonardo Barreto, Fabián Cordero, Diego Larriva and Carlos Pesántez- and from TexLab: María Isabel Pinos and Belén Cordero participated in all these projects.

José Luis Fajardo and students Estefanía Vásquez and Raúl Cuji generated the designs.

"We from TexLab collaborate in all the development of facial masks because we have a high precision machine that performs laser cuts; We also developed the masks for intubation and extubation, and on the sleeves for the test booth ”, explains María Isabel Pinos.

So far, 10 intubation / extubation buckets and 400 face masks have been donated to Social Security, Regional Hospital, Hospital del Río and Hospital Santa Inés hospitals.

“The masks for community use will be delivered mainly to rural sectors of low resources; We continually receive requests from institutions that ask for our contribution and we hope to respond to all those who need help today, "concluded the Dean of the Faculty.