transmission rate continues to rise around the world, higher education institutions need to embrace to the new normal in education along with the implementation of public health and control measures measures amidst the current COVID-19 crisis. King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok (KMUTNB),through private and public sector collaboration has addressed the immediate crisis by developing and launching new innovations in order to help local communities, society and the nation fight against the global pandemic.
KMUTNB research team from the Faculty of Engineering unveiled their innovative equipment, Positive and Negative Pressure Cabinets to protect medical professionals while performing their duties during COVID-19 outbreak. The prototype of Positive Pressure Chamber was donated and installed at Chao Phraya Aphaiphubet Hospital, Prachinburi Province. Further pressure control units will be transported to other hospitals to allow COVID-19 frontliners to keep up their battle against the pandemic.
The Faculty of Engineering team joined hands to design and develop small incinerators to properly dispose of antiviral face masks and infectious waste during the COVID-19 outbreak. To manage sanitation and prevent transmission of pathogens, an effective way for infectious waste disposal is to burn it at very high temperatures above 1,000 C.
The small-scale biohazard infectious waste incinerators were contributed to Phetchabun Hospital, Sirindhorn Hospital, and Sunpasitthiprasong Hospital.
As a proactive cooperation to overcome the pandemic, the Head of Center of Innovative Robot and Advanced Precision Systems (IRAPs) and the researcher team took part in the delivery of a medical robot called IRAPs SHaRE-aGIVeR, or "The Shared Robot" to the Faculty of Medicine, Vajira Hospital, Navamindradhiraj University. The invention funding to produce the medical robot was granted by PTT Global Chemical Public Company Limited (GC) and Polyfoam Group.
During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, KMUTNB's Faculty of Applied Science and Military Technical Training School worked together to design and build UV sterilizers for sanitizing face masks. So far, over 300 face-mask disinfection devices have been provided to hospitals in Bangkok along with hospitals in the central region, Tambon Health Promotion Hospitals, Krabi Provincial Public Health Office, Phuket Provincial Public Health Office, Health offices in the three southernmost provinces, hospitals located in Northeast (Isaan region) as well as hospitals throughout the country. Thailand Post Co., Ltd.Bang Sue branch offered free-of-charge postal delivery services.