Hands-Free Architecture

Physical devices to reduce transmission of germs on shared surfaces

1. Door pull adaptor

Hypothesis

There's no good reason why all doors shouldn't be 'contactless' or at least minimal contact.

-> As a first step, focus on high traffic doors where the majority of traffic for a building passes through.

An example:

1. My apartment block is in a courtyard with a front gate where 3 blocks of people pass through requiring a pull handle to exit (~150 people - high traffic)
2. My actual block (~25 flats) has an entrance door - entering the requires a pull handle (~40 people - medium traffic).
3. Then there's either the lift - press buttons (~ 30 people - medium traffic) or stairs - requires at least one pull handle (~10 people - low traffic).
4. Then my front door which is a more complicated twist handle (very low traffic i.e. only me).

Other examples:

• Most modern indoor fire doors will have a pull handle in one direction - start looking around you.
• Most people use the same door to the toilets in an office.
• Lots of shops have a pull door to exit.

Existing solutions

• Automatic doors
• Foot pull doors e.g. https://www.stepnpull.co.uk/
• Alternative arm door handle e.g. https://www.akitchen.com/store/hands-free-sanitary-door-opener.html

Criticism of existing solutions

• Automatic doors are ideal but are expensive and hassle to retrofit if not already in place. It's unfeasible that every door can be automatic.
• Both foot and alternative arm doors are pretty expensive and require permanent and strong fixings to the door. Great if you own the building, but might be a problem to install quickly, temporarily or at scale.