Vale Supports Initiative to Develop a Sterilizing Box for Health Care Professionals and Health Centers

One of the winners of the COVID-19 Challenge, Canada’s First Team 1305 proposed a solution that consists of designing a UV sterilization box that can be built by health centers. “The “Do it yourself” sterilizer is the solution for sites that could not find an industrial equipment. We have tested and optimized our solution to help frontline workers sterilize their own equipment. Our sterilizer does not require special tools to be built. It can be made from materials available at local stores,” explained First Team 1305 mentor Bryan Kelso.

Team 1305 is a student robotics team that competes in the FIRST Championship, the world’s largest celebration of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) for students. The use of an open source (unpatented) technology makes the solution accessible and replicable anywhere in the world. With the funding and support provided by Vale, the team was able to build 50 kits that were donated to small and medium medical clinics in Canada

“First Team 1305 contacted all of Canada’s robotics teams to offer them the opportunity to build their own equipment to be distributed in local hospices, nursing homes, and smaller hospitals. Such fantastic effort has benefitted communities across Canada – from Alberta to Yukon to Ontario. “Thank you, Vale,” said Heather Kelso, another mentor of the group.