By Daniel P. Tapaoan, Jr. 

Finding ways to create a COVID-safe environment, a group of electronics and communication engineering (ECE) students at Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) has developed an automated ultraviolet (UV) light disinfection system for indoor spaces. 

Dubbed Project Ultra, this technology uses a mobile application that conveniently allows users to set timers, monitor interruptions, and shut off the system from a safe distance. 

An easy-to-operate platform, the project also aims to cut costs and manpower needed in manually disinfecting enclosed spaces like classrooms, offices, and business establishments. 

This project of the MMSU College of Engineering (COE) has qualified for the Smart Prepaid Innovation Generation program being implemented by the Smart Communication, Inc. this year. The company granted Php 75,000 cash and Wi-Fi devices worth Php 20,000 to the project team to develop the technology. 

The small grants program of Smart challenges the current generation to develop technology-enabled, simple solutions to enable their communities to adapt to the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic.

Engr. Priscilla Faye Simon, Project Ultra adviser and a faculty member of the ECE department, shared they came up with the project after observing that janitors in the university are at risk of getting exposed to UV light, which is damaging to living tissue, as they use this for disinfection. 

Fraezznel Juness Albayalde, one of the project proponents, said the automated UV light disinfecting system has a passive infrared (PIR) sensor that can detect human movement within its range and causes the UV light disinfectant to automatically shut off when it perceives any.  

Albayalde said they are now trying to improve the technology so that it can also be used in disinfecting public utility vehicles (PUVs). 

Initiated by Engr. Wilson Duldulao of ECE department, the project was started by the group of Earl John Bareng, Frida Niña Dimoloy, Cheryll Moana Marie Ibarra, Kennet Lloyd Quiape, and Aaron Alexander Santos who already graduated. It was continued by Albayalde, Humphrey John Balanay, Franz Joseph Colobong, Marc Nathaniel Diaz, and Jose Angelo Pascua, all second year ECE students. 

The Project Ultra team and the MMSU administration plan to roll out the project to all university campuses. (StratCom)