North Bay's FIRST Team 1305 is one of 11 winners of the Vale COVID-19 Challenge announced today.
The challenge was launched in Canada to help propel innovative solutions into battling the disease.
A total of nearly 1,800 solutions were submitted globally, of which over 300 came from within Canada.
After review, 11 solutions were selected to receive financial support as part of the Vale COVID-19 Challenge with two of them being Canadian companies, both based in northern Ontario.
“The participation on this initiative was incredible, exceeding my expectations and is a great example of how open innovation can bring people together globally as partners in finding innovative solutions to critical problems,” said Afsal Jessa, Chief Digital Officer, Vale Base Metals
FIRST Team 1305, a group of high school robotics students from North Bay, developed a DIY ultra-violet sterilizer that facilitates the cleaning and sterilization of personal protective equipment states the release.
"They currently have two prototypes being used at the North Bay Regional Health Centre in the Emergency Department and Intensive Care Unit. The funds will allow them to further develop these prototypes and build an open-source model to be shared internationally. They also plan to purchase the required material to build 50 units to donate to local hospitals and medical centers."
“The funds provided by Vale for the UV Sterilizer Project will have a positive impact on the people at risk of COVID-19 in our community and will help others to make a difference in their community as well,” explained Fionna Truong, FIRST Team 1305 student. “The safety equipment and masks are key in keeping our first responders and those at risk safe. By being able to sterilize and reuse masks we will be able to continue protecting our community, and with the help from Vale, others will now be able to help their community.”
The other northern Ontario winner is FloSonics Medical, a venture-backed start-up based in Sudbury that develops and commercializes wearable sensors, which improve clinical management of critically ill patients inside and outside of the hospital. To help during the COVID-19 Pandemic, FloSonics developed a wearable wireless single-use hemodynamic monitor, which allows clinicians to access vital information about a COVID-19 patient’s cardiovascular state remotely via Bluetooth.
