NoSoapCompany: Smart Hand Sanitation Units in Public Spaces to Prevent New Corona Outbreak

Hand sanitation needs to become the new normal for the public. This is why smart dispensers should not only be reserved for hospitals but should be available everywhere where large numbers of people transit. From schools to shopping malls, from businesses to gyms, from cinemas to supermarkets. They need to become as ubiquitous as hands-free faucets and automated soap dispensers in public restrooms are today.

With Europe coming out of lockdown and businesses and institutions reopening, it is of critical importance that customers and employees are protected against infection from the Covid-19 virus. Both the World Health Organization and the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention advocate hand hygiene as the single most efficient and cost-effective way to limit the spread of diseases.

In recent months this was often addressed in substandard and haphazard ways. In shops, doctor's offices and other well-frequented establishments, customers were greeted by small tables or improvised structures with hand sanitizer bottles that were either empty or unused. "These are not adequate long-term solutions for public buy-in. Systematic hand hygiene is only possible if it is attractive, omnipresent and always user ready. That is why we want to offer a reliable, long-term solution that will stay around for years, not weeks," says Julien Pescheux, CEO of The NoSoapCompany.

The company has launched a high-tech hand sanitation unit, HYiGO that connects to the cloud via IoT. The device sends a signal when the disinfectant needs to be replenished or when the battery needs to be charged. It also provides relevant usage-data which can provide entrepreneurs and institutions with valuable insights. Until recently, the smart dispenser was primarily found in hospitals and institutions such as the UMCG and the Martini Hospital, but also at Schiphol Airport, the WTC and The Hague's Malietoren. The NoSoapCompany has expanded its production capacity in recent months to be able to deliver the dispenser throughout Europe. In the coming weeks, 2000 new devices will enter the European market.