Hygiene nudging system
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current cleaning practices in public buildings, such as schools and hospitals, are inadequate due to insufficient focus and frequency, leading to unclean environments that can spread infections and negatively impact health and productivity.
Innovation Solution
A hygiene nudging system comprising a dispenser unit for cleaning wipes, a control unit, and sensors to detect activity and cleanliness levels, which issues reminders and adjusts disinfectant types to encourage timely and targeted cleaning of high-touch surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If cleaning is performed once a day in the morning, then cleaning resources are efficiently utilized, but dirt and bacteria accumulate during the day leading to unclean environments
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic cleaning actions by triggering cleaning reminders at predetermined time intervals throughout the day, and activating cleaning indications on surfaces at regular intervals, transforming single daily cleaning into multiple periodic cleaning events
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses sensors to detect soiling levels on surfaces and provides feedback through cleaning indications when contamination thresholds are exceeded, creating a closed-loop system that adjusts cleaning frequency based on actual cleanliness conditions
2Reliability
If more frequent cleaning is implemented, then cleanliness and health outcomes improve, but cleaning costs and resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies cleaning resources selectively to specific high-touch surfaces that exceed contamination thresholds, rather than uniformly cleaning all surfaces, thereby concentrating cleaning effort where it is most needed and reducing overall resource consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables occupants to perform their own cleaning of marked surfaces using dispensed cleaning wipes, transforming professional cleaning staff into self-service cleaning, which increases cleaning frequency without proportionally increasing professional cleaning resources
3Productivity
If cleaning reminders are provided to occupants, then on-demand cleaning increases, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses disposable cleaning wipes with integrated cleaning solution and biodegradable soiling indicators, eliminating the need for complex reusable cleaning systems, storage infrastructure, and maintenance protocols while maintaining effective cleaning functionality
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a hygiene nudging system for improving the overall cleanliness of a room or an area having one or more predetermined surfaces, comprising a dispenser unit configured to dispense cleaning wipes for cleaning the one or more surfaces, a control unit connected with the dispenser unit, wherein the system comprises a nudging unit connected with the control unit, the control unit being configured to control the nudging unit, the nudging unit is configured to issue an indication when activated by the control unit, and a first sensor is connected with the dispenser unit and the control unit, the first sensor being configured to detect dispensing from the dispenser unit and to signal the detection of dispensing to the control unit, whereby the control unit deactivates the nudging unit. The present invention also relates to a facility comprising one or more hygiene nudging systems according to the present invention. Further, the present invention relates to a monitoring and nudging system, to a method for improving an overall cleanliness of a room or an area and to use of the hygiene nudging system according to the present invention.