Studying UV waves | Antimicrobial fogging | New workspace
NAVIGATING THE RECOVERY
Fast Future Country fights the pandemic
A special report from: 
RESEARCH
OSU studies shorter wavelength UV waves 
Image by Pete Linforth for PIxabay
While it is known that ultraviolet radiation can inactivate coronaviruses, a broad category of viruses that includes SARS-CoV-2, most commercially available UV lamps could emit harmful rays. Because of that, researchers at Ohio State University are testing specific doses of UV222, a shorter wavelength of ultraviolet radiation.
The team tested UV222 against a live virus (with samples obtained from the Biodefense and Emerging Infections Research Resources Repository, an arm of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) in a liquid solution. The result? A near-total destruction of the virus, after only a few minutes. Although further testing needs to be done, the scientists feel confident that UV222 will be just as effective in the air.
INNOVATORS PODCAST
State of Change: Inclusivity, Access, & Impact 
What does it mean - and what does it take - to make space in the world of innovation for people who have never before had the chance? Monique Kuykendoll Quarterman has made a career out of doing this - from startups to consulting and now at the state level, working as Executive Director of Kentucky Commercialization Ventures (KCV). Hear her talk with our host Ben Reno-Weber about the real value found in encouraging diverse perspectives.
You can also listen to these episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, or wherever else you get your podcasts.
Share this podcast!
Springfield, MO, schools studied The CDC is partnering with the Springfield-Greene County Health Department, Washington University in St. Louis, and three area school districts to learn more about COVID-19 transmission in schools. Springfield was chosen because the schools are offering a modified quarantine to students. Modified quarantine means that if a student meets certain criteria after their in-school exposure, they might be able to continue in-person learning.
Lee Ann Neill, SPS Health Services Coordinator, has been working with the CDC and told KY3 news, “There are so many districts that aren’t at the point Springfield is in terms of having students in-seat. The Springfield-Greene Co. Health Department has been so forward-thinking and from day one we’ve been looking at what we’re learning as we’re moving through the changes in this pandemic. The Health Department has been the backbone of this entire process.”
FEATURED EVENT With InvestMidwest
InvestMidwest connects Rezilient Health with the right people 
Photo courtesy, InvestMidwest
St. Louis startup Rezilient Health is building an alternative care delivery platform. The company’s co-founders are Jeff Gamble, who received a PhD in neuro-engineering from Washington University, and Dr. Danish Nagda, an ENT specialist and serial entrepreneur.
Last year, Rezilient Health participated in the InvestMidwest event. Dr. Nagda presented and he talked with us about the InvestMidwest experience:
Tell us about Rezilient Health
Dr. Nagda: Rezilient is a robotic telehealth company that expands on the current capabilities of telehealth 1.0 by providing physicians the ability to perform physical exams, ultrasounds, and eventually minor procedures over the internet.
Our software platform allows physicians to not only provide standard video visits, but also remotely control the positioning of medical devices through touch gestures on their local computer that send commands to a telerobotic interface that is located with the patient at another physician’s office, pharmacy, nursing home, etc. While some vendors provide smart devices for basic exams, they require the patient, family member, or nurse extender to perform what is an “operator-dependent” exam, which takes the objective assessment out of the hands of the physician who was trained to do so.
What was InvestMidwest like?
Dr. Nagda: InvestMidwest was part of the momentum we needed to connect with the right people. The event is usually in person but last year it was virtual. It gave us access and connections and that’s a huge deal.
InvestMidwest is collaborating with the Midwest Growth Capital Symposium (MGCS) at the University of Michigan for the 2021 Midwest Venture Showcase scheduled for April 27-28, 2021. Panels will include "Why Invest in the Midwest," "Diversity & Inclusion in Investing," and "Midwest Unicorns are Real."
For more information on applying, attending, or sponsoring the Showcase, please visit www.investmidwestforum.com or email Phyllis Ellison (InvestMidwest) or www.midwestgcs.com or Emily Zaycosky (MGCS). Share this event!
BACK TO WORK
Antimicrobial fogging device Metro Transit has been researching and testing new sanitizing products for eight months. The agency, which operates the St. Louis region’s public transportation system, has announced it is deploying a fogging device that uses antimicrobial tech.
According to a statement from the organization, the products are water-based, alcohol-free and free from dangerous chemicals and can create a protective barrier on surfaces that lasts for 30 days. The St. Louis metro system includes 400 clean-burning diesel buses that serve 68 MetroBus routes in eastern Missouri and southwest Illinois.
What will the new workspace look like? COVID-19 changed a lot about our lifestyles, especially in terms of our work environments. With home tech and Zoom calls, however, people seemed to adapt fairly easily while they had to. But many miss the office camaraderie and connections. So what will the “new office” environment look like as we try to strike the balance between the need for private space with the desire to interact and collaborate with colleagues?
An article in FreshWater explores some of the changes we might expect as we balance efficient workspace with worker wellness. For one thing, office designers will most likely back off from the communal offices that have been the norm for the last decade. We might see other design elements, like removable barriers and flexible dividers (which, for example, would allow a large conference room to also be used as offices and vice versa). Buildings may offer new hardware with doors that have push pedals or infrared technology.
REACH OUT Share stories, offer suggestions, or comment!
|
