Moved by the sorry plight of public toilets making them unfit for use by females, two students from Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi(IIT-D) have developed an equipment which can help them pee safely public places. Branded as Sanfe, the use and throw apparatus is cost effective and environment friendly as well.
Harry Sehrawat and Archit Agarwal, both in third year of textile engineering at IIT-D, routinely saw their female friends, classmates suffer because of dirty toilets. Most of the times, they avoided using them altogether, making matters worse while travelling. "We visited many public loo's across the city and almost all of them were unhygienic and unfit for use. Upon further research, we also found out that public toilets were also one of the prominent reasons behind Urinary Tract Infection(UTI) in women," shared Sehrawat.
The duo then started working on Sanfe six months ago, drawing from their and their peers' experiences. As they embarked on the journey, the biggest challenge they faced was to design an article that fit women of all sizes. For this, they sought help from our professor in ergonomics department who helped us with the designing part. Once ready, they asked their female friends to use them and give them feedback, making necessary changes based on them.
"The main technique behind Sanfe is that it eliminates body contact with toilet seats. It is compact enough to be carried in a purse and can be disposed of easily after one use," Sehrawat stated about the various benefits of the equipment which at the outset looks like a cardboard. The design has thumb grip for better hold to prevent spillage and the shape is such that it makes it convenient to use during menstruation as well. "Among various other advantages, the surface area of the apparatus has smooth curves to avoid paper cuts. Sanfe has been made using biodegradable paper, aiding in smooth decomposition as well," he said, adding that it is priced at Rs 10 and is available at pharmacies in AIIMS, Apollo Hospital with commercial sale having started last month. They are awaiting for the patent to be confirmed. Applied for it in May 2018.
Design Friendly
- The design has thumb grip for better hold to prevent spillage and the shape is such that it makes it convenient to use during menstruation as well
- It is priced at Rs 10 and is available at pharmacies in AIIMS, Apollo Hospital with commercial sale having started last month.
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