Innovation Title: Self Sanitizing Door Handle With Protective Cover
Name & Age of Inventors (at the time of innovation): Maleeha Khan (16) Imaan Moosa (16) Inaya Sheikh (16) Mahum Rana (16) Laiba Mehmood (16) Ayaan Mehmood (16) Aamena Baig (14) Ayesha Baig (14) Deen Sheikh (15)
Problem Statement:
Door handles collect thousands of harmful microbes daily, making them major hotspots for spreading disease.
A 2014 University of Arizona study showed that when a virus sample was applied to door handles, within just 2–4 hours the virus was picked up by 40 to 60 percent of workers and visitors in the facilities. Manual cleaning is often inconsistent, impractical, and skipped—especially in public or high-traffic spaces—leaving people exposed to harmful bacteria and viruses without warning. This exposes people to harmful bacteria and viruses without warning.
About the Innovation:
This team of young inventors at DiscoverSTEM innovated a self-powered, self-sanitizing door handle that disinfects itself with every use.
A hollow glass shell houses UV-C lights on an internal rod, powered by a spring-and-turbine system activated when the door moves. Protective connectors ensure safe radiation, while sensors and LED indicators show status. It delivers safe, automatic, and continuous handle sanitization without external power or manual cleaning.