LU_Touch

thingiverse

LU_Touch is a tool designed to minimize indirect contacts with possible COVID-19 focus carriers. It allows users to open and close doors and windows, as well as push buttons or switches, reducing the risk of contagion through indirect contact in our daily activities. For effective use of LU_Touch, three holes are enabled to be used either around the neck or from the waist. Additionally, its ergonomic design makes it easy to operate with just three fingers, featuring a grip area completely separated from the contact area. It is essential to disinfect LU_Touch from time to time using 70% alcohol solutions, or failing that, bleach or soap. Indirect contacts prevention in relation to COVID-19: The pandemic caused by COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) has a critical point in the high probability of contagion between humans. To combat this, health authorities have emphasized preventing transmission through direct contact between people, implementing measures such as minimum separation and confinement. However, another significant type of transmission is through indirect contact with contaminated objects or surfaces, or the presence of the virus itself. This type of transmission is more challenging to avoid because it goes against our subconscious and daily habits, like touching our face with our hands. It's crucial to remember that the virus can last up to three days on a surface material, making its ability to spread through indirect contact extremely high. Due to containment measures applied in many countries affected by COVID-19, exceptions have been established for leaving home, and health personnel are obligated to live with situations of high risk of infection. By minimizing the possibility of spread through indirect contacts in our daily actions outside the home, we can fight the pandemic more effectively. Throughout the day, each person makes multiple contacts in common areas, thereby becoming a transmission focus. Currently, there are three large groups of people at risk of transmission by indirect contact with the virus: health personnel, who are fighting to save lives while exposing themselves to infection; delivery workers, who make numerous deliveries and interact with many surfaces; and individuals who leave their homes for permitted activities, making multiple contacts through everyday actions. Health personnel face a significant challenge as they can press elevator switches or buttons, open doors, and perform up to 480 iterations throughout the day. Changing gloves every time would be impractical and costly. Delivery workers make over 150 deliveries daily, interacting with numerous surfaces, which could become a great vector for transmission. Individuals who leave their homes to carry out permitted activities can make a minimum of 14 contacts by using elevators, opening doors, pressing light switches, and paying at the supermarket. It is useless to use gloves as they will eventually come into contact with various surfaces that later touch themselves or others without protection, or even subconsciously touching the face with gloves on. To combat COVID-19, we share a validated 3D printing model for LU_Touch in FDM, SLA, or SLS technologies under the Creative Commons license. This allows each of us to contribute one more barrier to slow down the pandemic's advance.