According to the World Health Organization (WHO) [1], viral diseases continue to emerge and represent a serious issue to public health. In the last twenty years, several viral epidemics such as the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) in 2002 to 2003, and H1N1 influenza in 2009, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in Saudi Arabia in 2012 have been recorded. On February 11, 2020, the WHO announced that the disease caused by the New CoV was a "COVID-19," which is the acronym of "Coronavirus disease 2019". CoVs are positive-stranded RNA viruses with a crown-like appearance under an electron microscope (coronam is the Latin term for crown) due to the presence of spike glycoproteins on the envelope. Thus, SARS-CoV-2 belongs to the beta CoVs category. It has round or elliptic and often pleomorphic form, and a diameter of approximately 60–140 nm [2]. Like other CoVs, it is sensitive to ultraviolet rays and heat. Furthermore, these viruses can be effectively inactivated by lipid solvents including ether (75%), ethanol, chlorine-containing disinfectant, peroxyacetic acid and chloroform except for chlorhexidine.
In the past few decades, tremendous efforts have been made to kill airborne viruses such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus, H1N1 influenza virus, H3N2 influenza viruses which have caused catastrophic illness worldwide and outbreak of pandemic by the present COVID-19 virus throughout the globe. Current COVID-19 virus epidemic prevention to be used in public space includes strong chemical inactivation, UV irradiation, and microwave thermal heating etc. All these methods affect the open public health in some or other way. The former exploits the chemical response of viruses to inactivate them, while the latter illuminates the virus with enormous energy. However, both methods not only kill the viruses but also damage the healthy cells and cause serious side effects on humans, such as dizziness, vomit, and even drug resistance.Various study demonstrated that dipolar mode of the confined acoustic vibrations (CAVs) inside viruses can be resonantly excited by microwaves of the same frequency with a resonant microwave absorption effect [3-4]. The observed microwave resonance absorption phenomenon indicates a possible structure-resonant energy transfer (SRET) effect from electromagnetic waves (EM waves) to CAVs of viruses. This structure-resonant energy transfer (SRET) process is an efficient way to excite the vibrational mode of the whole virus structure due to a 100% energy conversion of a photon into a phonon of the same frequency. The present novel µ-waveBluster # Microwave Air Sterilizer based on Microwave Resonant Absorption (MRA) principle exploits the electromagnetic energy at a specific microwave frequency, which is determined by the dimensions of the viruses. Typically, the dimensions of the COVID-19 viruses are in the range from 60 nm to 140 nm, which is much smaller than the cells in human bodies (50μm) [2]. Therefore, the aforementioned side effects could be greatly relieved through the resonant properties. The dimension of each virus remains unchanged during virus mutation, which guarantees the feasibility of MRA based virus sterilizer. Such Microwave Resonant Absorption (MRA) based inactivation is mainly through physically fracturing the virus structure, which can be confirmed by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Dual-Functional Plasmonic Photothermal Biosensors for Highly Accurate Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Detection [5] .
The present unique µ-waveBluster # Microwave Air Sterilizer may provide a pathway toward establishing a new epidemic prevention strategy in indoor /outdoor public places and /or in Space for Novel COVID-19 Viruse outbreak based on Microwave Resonant Absorption (MRA) mechanism with threshold microwave power density within the Human safe limit.
(1) . Inspiration / motivation to Choose this Challenge :
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing the nation on the coronavirus outbreak on 19thMarch 2020 (Thursday), announced a 'Janata (public) Curfew' on 22nd March (Sunday) - in an attempt to contain the spread of coronavirus. He appealed citizen to clap, rang bells, blew the conch shells and beat metals plates on balconies in solidarity with the health workers on frontlines fighting the novel coronavirus for 5 minutes. Amidst a 'Janata Curfew' on Sunday, at 5 pm people came out on their balconies, outside their homes and on terraces to clap their hands and sound utensils for five minutes to thank those at the forefront of combating Covid-19. I also participated along with family members to salute the frontlines Health workers fighting the novel coronavirus. Listening and feeling the vibrating surrounding sounds, it came to my minds whether the spectrum of sound energy is sufficient to disintegrate / disinfect the airborne Corona virus. I started self-searching for the answer. I came across options, that the Ultra Violet (UV) light, Ultrasound energy, Microwave thermal heating are tried to disintegrate / disinfect the SARS COV or similar viruses. In all of these cases, the energy requirement is either very high or not human friendly or required special care.
Then thinking process started and remembered a childhood story of early 1800 century, a brigade of soldiers marched in step across England's Broughton Suspension Bridge and the bridge broke apart beneath the soldiers, throwing dozens of soldiers into the water. Reason analyzed and understood. British army ordered “Soldiers crossing a long bridge must "break stride," or not march in unison, to stop such a situation from occurring again. Structures like bridges and buildings, although they appear to be solid and immovable, have a natural frequency of vibration within them. A force that's applied to an object at the same frequency as the object's natural frequency will amplify the vibration of the object in an occurrence called mechanical or structural resonance frequency.
If we can get the structure resonance frequency or natural frequency of the COVID-19 virus, then the energy requirement to disintegrate / disinfect the virus will be least or minimum. We need to know about the band of natural resonance frequency spectrum of the COVID-19 virus and the minimum threshold energy requirement to disintegrate / disinfect and also this minimum threshold energy level should be within the human safe limit of EM exposure. In this way the Conceptualization / Ideation of the project µ-waveBluster # Microwave Air Sterilizer started. Myself (Team leader) specialized in Microwave / Millimeter wave field and have more than 20 years’ working experience RADAR technology. My professional experience, expertise and self-conciseness poses the challenge to do something like “µ-waveBluster # Microwave Air Sterilizer” for betterment of humankind, which is need of today’s world to counter the Corona Virus pandemic.
Another reason for engaging ourselves in this War against COVID-19, seeing the statistics of its devastating nature and transmission capability. According to the latest update of World Health Organization website [6]: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, updated: 29 May 2020, 05:30 GMT+5:30, the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak situation:
No of Confirmed cases: 5704 736
No of Confirmed deaths: 357736
No of Countries, Areas or Territories affected with cases: 216
The whole world and the entire mankind is under serious threat of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The present unique µ-waveBluster # Microwave Air Sterilizer will provide a pathway toward establishing a new epidemic prevention strategy in indoor /outdoor public places and /or in Space for Novel COVID-19 Viruses outbreak based on Microwave Resonant Absorption structure-resonant energy transfer mechanism with threshold microwave energy within the Human safe limit.
(2). What was your approach to developing this project?
First : Conceptualization and Ideation of the project
Second : Design , Modeling and Simulation , many iteration for optimization
Third : Development of Proof of Concept (POC) model
Fourth : Development of Prototype model and Laboratory performance testing and evaluation
Fifth : Development of Engineering model and Environmental/Qualification testing
Sixth : Development of Final Version / Production Unit and Qualification
Seventh : Ready for Customer
(3). How did you use space agency data in your project?
Assessing Nitrogen Dioxide (NO 2) Levels as a Contributing Factor to Coronavirus (COVID-19) Fatality :These results indicate that the long-term exposure to this pollutant may be one of the most important contributors to fatality caused by the COVID-19 virus in these regions.
Using the space agency COVID-19 data , the autonomous µ-waveBluster # Microwave Air Sterilizer Drone can be send to COVID affected area for Sterilization. Before and after Sterilization data can be monitored and necessary action can be taken by Concerned Authority .
(4). What tools, coding languages, hardware, software did you use to develop your project?
(a) Software Used : Agilent - SystemVue
(b) Hardware / Components Details :
(i) HORN ANTENNA 7 To 11 Ghz, WR 102 (PASTERNACK ENTERPRISES INC PE9857/NF 20)
(ii) FRACTIONAL-N PLL WITH INTEGRATED VCO, 7.8 - 8.8 GHZ (ANALOG DEVICES HMC765LP6CE)
(iii) GAAS MMIC VOLTAGE-VARIABLE ATTENUATOR, DC - 14 GHZ (ANALOG DEVICES HMC346ALP3E)
(iv)GAAS PHEMT MMIC 2 WATT POWER AMPLIFIER WITH POWER DETECTOR 8 - 14 GHZ (ANALOG DEVICES HMC952ALP5GE)
(v) CMPA801B025 25 W, 8.5 - 11.0 GHZ, GAN MMIC, POWER AMPLIFIER (CREE)
(vi)CRYSTAL OSCILLATOR ECS-TXO-3225MV HCMOS (ECS INC)
(vii) 7.9 – 8.4 GHZ, DROP-IN ISOLATOR, X-BAND, 2H7NDQ-S (RENAISSANCE,HXI MILLIMETER WAVE PRODUCT)
(viii) DROP-IN ISOLATOR, R2K7NDU (RENAISSANCE,HXI MILLIMETER WAVE PRODUCT)
(ix)MAX3232E 3-V TO 5.5-V MULTICHANNEL RS-232 LINE DRIVER AND RECEIVER (TEXAS INSTRUMENT)
(x) ATMEGA-328 8-BIT MICROCONTROLLER WITH 4/8/16/32K BYTES IN-SYSTEM PROGRAMMABLE FLASH (ATMEL)
(xi)LOW-QUIESCENT CURRENT 150MA LDO REGULATOR MIC5234 (MICREL)
(xii) 100MA REGULATED CHARGE-PUMP INVERTERS IN THINSOT LTC1983-3/LTC1983-5 (LINEAR TECHNOLOGY)
(xiii) 60 WATT SINGLE OUTPUT DC/DC CONVERTER (RECOM RPA60-FW)
(xiv) 20 WATT SINGLE AND DUAL OUTPUT DC/DC CONVERTER (RECOM RPA20-AW )
(5) What problems and achievements did your team have?
Problems and Difficulties:
The Government of India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi ordered a nationwide lockdown for 5 Phases. Limiting movement of the entire 1.3 billion population of India as a preventive measure against the COVID-19 pandemic in India.
Phase 1: 25 March 2020 – 14 April 2020 (21 days)
Phase 2: 15 April 2020 – 3 May 2020 (19 days)
Phase 3: 4 May 2020 – 17 May 2020 (14 days)
Phase 4: 18 May 2020 – ongoing (14 days); scheduled to end on 31 May 2020
Phase 5: 1 June 2020 – 30 June 2020 (30 days)
To contain the spread of coronavirus outbreak in India: Following are the few major steps to follow during Lockdown:
(i) Ban on people from stepping out of their homes
(ii) All services and shops closed except pharmacies, hospitals, banks, grocery shops and other essential services
(iii) Closure of commercial and private establishments (only work-from-home allowed)
(iv) Suspension of all educational, training, research institutions
(v) Closure of all places of worship
(vi) Suspension of all non-essential public and private transport
(vii) Prohibition of all social, political, sports, entertainment, academic, cultural, religious activities.
Basically No Activity - No Development, No Movement . Stand still entire Nation during Lock down.
Achievements:
To realize hardware of the µ-waveBluster # Microwave Air Sterilizer, the components required with desired specifications are not available with us. In this circumstances we have completed the theoretical design, modeling, simulation of µ-waveBluster # Microwave Air Sterilizer using SystemVue Agilent software. Also completed the tuning and optimization of the µ-waveBluster hardware design using Commercial off-the-shelf or commercially available off-the-shelf (COTS) components to reduce the actual hardware realization time. Finally, to develop the Proof of Concept (POC) model, we have used an old synthesizer based signal generator to generate the desired frequency of 8.500 GHz with low output power level. Then connected a horn antenna to replicate the POC model of µ-waveBluster # Microwave Air Sterilizer. We have carried out some limited testing with the POC model of µ-waveBluster # Microwave Air Sterilizer along with various article like, currency/money bag, food items and mask. We have observed very positive and encouraging results to fight with COVID-19 pandemics.
Project µ-waveBluster # Microwave Air Sterilizer : Video link
https://drive.google.com/open?id=16CJNL_RuCOPP-839Lm20p6kBvR5F_kbP
Project µ-waveBluster # Microwave Air Sterilizer : PPT Slides link
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1P5ReT0cnAKR-AUC15aAYb_rFaGVaxs8W
https://drive.google.com/open?id=13sdwbgoyMLIF6vjGUaZxVuc71-zRh1Xi
1.Features, Evaluation and Treatment Coronavirus (COVID-19) by Marco Cascella; Michael Rajnik; Arturo Cuomo; Scott C. Dulebohn; Raffaela Di Napoli. ; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554776/
2.SARS-CoV 2 Structure Contributed by Rohan Bir Singh : Made with Biorender .com; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554776/figure/article-52171.image.f3/
3.Efficient Structure Resonance Energy Transfer from Microwaves to Confined Acoustic Vibrations in Viruses by Yang, S.-C. et al. Sci. Rep. 5, 18030; doi: 10.1038/srep18030 (2015). https://www.nature.com/articles/srep18030
4.Microwave resonant absorption of viruses through dipolar coupling with confined acoustic vibrations ; Appl. Phys. Lett. 94, 043902 (2009); https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3074371 ;Tzu-Ming Liu1, Hung-Ping Chen, Li-Tzu Wang, Jen-Ren Wang, Tang-Nian Luo, Yi-Jan Chen, Shen-Iuan Liu, and Chi-Kuang Sun); https://aip.scitation.org/doi/10.1063/1.3074371
5. Dual-Functional Plasmonic PhotothermalBiosensors for Highly Accurate Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Detection ; by Guangyu Qiu, Zhibo Gai, Yile Tao, Jean Schmitt, Gerd A. Kullak-Ublick, and Jing Wang ; https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/acsnano.0c02439
6.World Health Organization : Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
7. A focusing reflect array and its application in microwave virus sanitizer Wan-Ting Hung1, Jen-Jung Tung1, and Shih-Yuan Chen1,2 , 1Graduate Institute of Communication Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, 2Department of Electrical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan ©2014. American Geophysical Union. ; https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/2014RS005481
8. Inactivation of Bacteriophage by Microwave Irradiation by ALICE WANG, NICK CHENG, YI-TE LIOU, AND KEVIN LIN ; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, UBC ; https://www.microbiology.ubc.ca/sites/default/files/roles/drupal_ungrad/JEMI/1/1-9.pdf
9. Vibrational Modes of Nano-Template Viruses by Alexander A. Balandin∗ and Vladimir A. Fonobero ; Nano-Device Laboratory, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of California – Riverside, Riverside, California 92521, USA; https://faculty.ucr.edu/~vladimf/JBN-viruses.pdf
10. Influenza Virus Inactivation for Studies of Antigenicity and Phenotypic Neuraminidase Inhibitor Resistance Profiling by Marcel Jonges 1, Wai Ming Liu, Erhard van der Vries, Ronald Jacobi, Inge Pronk, Claire Boog, Marion Koopmans, Adam Meijer, Ernst Soethout ; American Society for Microbiology ; https://jcm.asm.org/content/48/3/928
11. Life Support Systems Sustaining Humans Beyond Earth ; https://www.nasa.gov/content/life-support-systems
12. Home Air Purifiers Eradicate Harmful Pathogens ; https://spinoff.nasa.gov/Spinoff2013/cg_4.html
13. Health and Air Quality Data Pathfinder ; https://earthdata.nasa.gov/learn/pathfinders/health-and-air-quality-data-pathfinder
14. https://airquality.gsfc.nasa.gov/
15. https://airquality.gsfc.nasa.gov/slider/omi-detected-so2-change-over-india-after-national-lockdown
16. Reductions in Nitrogen Dioxide Associated with Decreased Fossil Fuel Use Resulting from COVID-19 Mitigation
https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/4810#
17. Air Quality
https://earthdata.nasa.gov/earth-observation-data/near-real-time/hazards-and-disasters/air-quality
19. https://earthdata.nasa.gov/earth-observation-data/near-real-time/hazards-and-disasters/air-quality
20. https://airquality.gsfc.nasa.gov/slider/pandemic-and-after-south-asia-2017-2019-versus-2020
21. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32302812/