TU Delft alumni and donors support Delft technology in the fight against COVID-19
News
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14 April 2020
In this difficult time, many initiatives arise within the university that use TU Delft technology to contribute to the fight against COVID-19. With enormous flexibility and inventiveness, our researchers and students are working on solutions to counter the spread of the coronavirus.
TU Delft and Delft University Fund support these ambitious initiatives wholeheartedly. That is why the TU Delft COVID-19 Response Fund was established on 31 March 2020. Thanks to this fund researchers and students can be supported with quick financial contributions, in order to not waste valuable time. 3 weeks after the launch, we have been able to allocate 190.000 euro’s to 8 corona-related projects.
Youngest donor 6 years old
The youngest donor, Tijn, is only 6 years old and wanted to make a donation to the Netherlands to stop the virus. He was pointed out by his parents to the special COVID-19 fund of TU Delft. In addition to Tijn's support, more than 750 alumni of TU Delft and loyal donors of Delft University Fund responded to the call to help.
We can be incredibly proud of the way our community is taking action, especially at a time like this. I am proud of everyone who is committed to doing something in the fight against the coronavirus in all sorts of ways, ranging from helping vulnerable people to developing alternative respiratory equipment. We have to do this together, we simply cannot do it alone.
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Prof. Tim van der Hagen – Rector Magnificus/President Executive Board TU Delft
Eight projects have now been selected for support
In order not to waste valuable time, a fast application and allocation procedure has been set up and the selection committee of Delft University Fund, consisting of Prof. Theun Baller (Dean of the Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering), Prof. John Schmitz (Dean of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science) and Prof. Dirk Jan Veeger (chairman of the Biomechanical Engineering department) have already selected eight projects that will receive financial support from this fund. OperationAIR is one of those projects:
The other supported projects are:
Safe re-use as a solution to the shortage of face masks In the fight against the 'Corona shortage’ of face masks, John van den Dobbelsteen and Tim Horeman, researchers at the Department of BioMechanical Engineering department, and with lab manager Rob Luttjeboer, developed a successful way to test reused sterilised surgical masks and surgical masks made of new materials. Read more
Prediction of the course of the coronavirus and the development of an exit strategy Piet Van Mieghem, professor at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science, works with his colleagues at the request of RIVM on a prediction of the course of the corona virus and an exit strategy. Van Mieghem: 'With the financial support I receive from the TU Delft COVID-19 Response Fund, I hope to be able to attract knowledge and manpower. It would be fantastic if I could increase in effectiveness that way. ”
Multifunctioneel UVC LED test platform UVC light destroys viruses and bacteria in a very effective way. The energy of the UVC light disrupts the DNA/RNA and prevents microorganisms from being able to divide. Not surprisingly, UVC is already widely used in the healthcare sector. It has now been demonstrated that the coronavirus is sensitive to a certain dose of UVC light. But how this works, however, is not yet entirely clear. To better understand this, Kouchi Zhang (TU Delft) wants to develop a testing platform together with Ron Fouchier (Erasmus MC). In the near future they also hope to come up with mini-UVC LED decontamination devices that can be linked to door handles, taps, lift buttons or even smartphones. By utilizing this technology the spread of the coronavirus can be contained.
We\Visit. Hospital visits are made possible for families and patientswhen hospital access is limited TU Delft engineers, designers and psychologists from Reinier de Graaf Hospital are developing an online communication platform that connects families with their loved ones in difficult times. With We\Visit remote hospital visits are made possible by scheduling video calls when patients or family members are in isolation or when visits to the care facility are limited and even cancelled.
Do you want to know what else is happening at TU Delft related to COVID-19 research?
On this page you can find an overview of research related to the corona crisis. And on the ResilientSociety-platform, an initiative of the 4TU knowledge institutions, efforts are being made to connect supply and demand in COVID-19-related activities and knowledge sharing.
