How automation can help prevent the spread of viruses
As the world remains on its toes due to the outbreak of the coronavirus, one bit of advice has been reiterated more than any – wash your hands! Viruses spread onto our hands very easily due to the number of things we touch during a typical day. But what if we could minimise this number through implementing automation in our everyday lives?
First, let’s take a closer look at coronavirus’ in a research study from the New England Journal of Medicine. How are they commonly spread? Besides the obvious human contact, infections can be transferred from surfaces such as switches, handles and more. Scientists have investigated, under laboratory conditions, how long the novel virus survives in the air and on different surfaces:
- Air: 3 hours
- Copper: 4 hours
- Cardboard: 24 hours
- Steel: 48 hours
- Plastic: 72 hours
As you may already know, viruses are easily spread in offices and public spaces. Basically existing everywhere in your everyday life, which makes regular handwashing and disinfecting of surfaces extra important. Since most switches and buttons are made of plastic materials, the virus can adhere to their surfaces without any visible signs. In an automated environment, there is little to no need to even touch a switch or button and, therefore, pick up an infection.
Contactless control through automation
Think of the many ways contactless control has found its way into the public spaces we visit. There’s contactless soap dispensers, toilet flushes, automatic doors and more. There’s an increasing need to go contactless in offices, retirement homes, care facilities and other commercial properties.
For years at Loxone, we’ve been designing ways of taking contactless control even further. We’ve taken it into homes and commercial properties while ensuring that it is suitable for people of all ages.
For example in our own 18 office branches, we don’t use light switches or thermostats it’s done automatically. This starts with motion sensors that have built-in brightness sensors. Presence and light levels are monitored which allows the lights to operate accordingly and the heating is on a schedule which is automatically extended should motion be detected. The logic behind such interaction is all processed through the Miniserver. When and if manual intervention is needed it can be done directly within the Loxone App from a smartphone, tablet or desktop.
– Special Tip –
Create Automation
Automation is a sensible solution for offices, apartment complexes, ambient assisted living and more. Explore the possibilities for your own business or commercial project.