A multifunction gate with an innovative bactericidal disinfection system

Gate|0 is a unique multifunctional disinfectant system for crowded places, offices, and mobile hospitals, providing an overhead shower of disinfectant solution for a few seconds as individuals pass through the gate.

Industry:

Medical Devices

IoT

Smart Manufacturing

Equipment & Tools

All

TRL:

1 → 8

Project duration:

4 months

Challenge

The COVID-19 pandemic is having a devastating impact on public health, societies, and economies around the world. Because an effective vaccine was unavailable for the first 12-18 months of the pandemic, disinfection, sanitization, and distancing were considered the most appropriate measures to mitigate virus transmission. As the pandemic gained momentum, several measures were put in place to control its spread. One such effort includes the installation of walkthrough sanitization gates to disinfect passersby and prevent cross infection.

Given EnCata’s capabilities and realizing the urgent need for help, we decided to join the fight and developed a totally new disinfectant solution for virus protection.

The major challenges we faced while working on such an important project were:

  • Providing corrosion resistance of components and materials used in the structure as corrosive elements will cause clogging of the spray nozzles.
  • Selection of disinfectant liquids (solutions) that are not harmful to the materials and components used.
  • Selection of components and materials resistant to disinfectant solutions.

Our Role

  • Requirements Analysis
  • Concept Development
  • Industrial Design
  • Architecture Design
  • Functional System Design
  • Multi-layer PCB Design
  • 2D Drafting
  • 3D Modeling
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Embedded Software (Firmware) Development
  • PCB Prototype & Assembly
  • Alfa & Beta Testing
  • Design for Manufacturing (DFM)
  • Manufacturing
  • Web, Photo, Video production
  • Technical Support
  • Customer After-sale Service

Technologies Used

Engineering R&D

Engineering R&D

Multilayers PCB stack

Multilayers PCB Stack

FreeRTOS

FreeRTOS

Wi-Fi onboard

Wi-Fi Onboard

BOM Development

BOM Development

LED Display

LED Display

Thermographic camera

Thermographic Camera

Face recognition system

Face Recognition System

CNC Machining

CNC Machining

Laser cutting

Laser Cutting

CAD Design

CAD Design

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R&D + design + manufacturing under ONE roof
Scale up and down your team
Intergrated hardware + software development
New technologies and research 

CORPORATIONS click HERE for more info

For Startups

MVP and POC prototypes
Affordable consultancy rates
All IP is yours
In-house batch production

STARTUPS click HERE for more info

Approach & Solution

EnCata quickly mobilized our design and manufacturing team to develop a multifunctional walkthrough gate with an innovative bactericidal disinfectant system ideal for crowded places (airports, train stations, administrative buildings, industrial enterprises, shopping centers, cafes, bars, restaurants, etc.) that helps to recognize symptoms of viral diseases in advance and prevent their further spread.

The gate has a robust, corrosion-resistant stainless steel design that is easy to maintain and equipped with large refillable 90-liter disinfectant tanks.

The Premium configuration was developed with the 'modularity' approach in mind to let Customers decide which options to add to the Basic version of Gate|0 without the need for engineers to revise the product.

The disinfectant fluid is an aqueous solution of antivirus silver citrate that automatically sprays onto a person passing through the gate in 15 ml doses. A low pressure pipeline with 20 fogging nozzles is installed inside the frame. The use of such nozzles allows disinfecting treatment even in hard-to-reach folds of clothing and also treats the feet.

The use of such nozzles allows disinfecting treatment even in hard-to-reach folds of clothing and also treats the feet.

On the firmware side, we designed the embedded system architecture and developed its functioning principles. This system is comprised of the following components:

1. Control board.

To test and fine-tune the algorithms and system functioning for proof-of-concept prototype development of Gate|0 we used an already excited control board that is the core of the AeroCapsula product. During the firmware development, we created STM32 microcontroller under the FreeRTOS control. Then, we proceeded with a serial version of the control board development.

2. Infrared (IR) sensors.

To verify a person's entry to the gate, we developed two types of infrared sensors: barrier and reflex.

3. Info displays.

We created a display based on LED technology which shows brief instructions for the users walking through the gate. The display also shows the system’s condition and indicates when it is time for scheduled maintenance or when the disinfectant tanks need to be refilled. The display allows color graphics and text.

4. Control algorithms.

We wrote the custom algorithms so the system can automatically determine the work mode: single or group, visualize the disinfectant level of the tanks and the capacity of the spent fluid, activate voice/audio guidance. The most challenging aspect of this stage was to write an algorithm to automatically determine whether 1 person or a group is walking through. This process required many rounds of trial and error before a solution was found. The gate system thus automatically switches to single or group work mode depending on the number of individuals passing through and their speed of movement.

To increase system capacity and improve product usability, we developed two work modes: single and group scenarios of use.
Thus, in a single mode, the disinfectant is sprayed on each person separately, while in group mode spraying occurs continuously while a group of people is walking through the gate.

5.WEB UI.

Our software engineers developed a web interface to monitor and configure the system, which is accessible by connecting to a Wi-Fi module integrated into the device.

The operation principle of the product is as follows: as soon as the user enters the ramp, then the infrared sensor, which is located in the strut, identifies a person who came in and the system is in a single or group work mode. The voice-over is activated and the text instruction on the LED display is shifted from one status to another. Then, the user can use the sanitizer for hand disinfection. The infrared sensor, which is located on the inner side of the frame near the sanitizer, identifies hands in a disinfectant zone and gives off a spray signal of disinfectant that is in a fluid tank.

The multifunctional decontamination system is produced in three configurations: Standard, Light and Premium.
Gate|0 STANDARD version comes with:

Gate|0 LIGHT includes:

Gate|0 PREMIUM configuration comprised with:

There are several additional modules that fit both Light and Premium configurations of Gate|0:

1. Standard thermographic camera
Temperature detection and face recognition system (bandwidth: 1 person per 5 seconds). In addition to determining an individual’s temperature, the module allows the faces based on an artificial intelligence system.

2. High traffic flow thermographic camera
Temperature detection (bandwidth: 1 person per 1 second).The system allows the body temperature monitoring of a continuous stream of people walking through the gate.

3. Mechanical hand sanitizer

4. Automatic contactless hand sanitizer

5. Turnstile.
People are only allowed entrance after the completion of face recognition, hand treatment, disinfection, and determination of body temperature. A standard turnstile is installed and controlled by the electronics in Gate|0 according to the specified scenario.

Results and Benefits

EnCata designed and manufactured a product that is far superior to other disinfectant frames. It is a multifunctional germicidal disinfection system with a wide range of smart functionality to screen people as they pass through to minimize the risk of infection and keep employees and visitors safe.

4 configs

of Gate|0 available to purchase: Premium, Light (welded and unwelded), and Standard

3 months

was the time from idea to pre-production sample

1 sec.

is the required time to determine 1 person body's temperature walking through the gate by a high traffic flow thermographic

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