When life gives you a pandemic, make a sanitiser dispensing machine.

At least, that’s what Sheikh Monirul Islam, a class XI student of Siliguri Boys’ High School, has done.

As school closed in March with the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown, Monirul, who lives with his parents at Vivekanandanagar in ward 7 of Siliguri, managed to take time out from his studies to design and make an automated sanitiser dispensing machine.

“As the pandemic broke out and people started following health safety protocols, I found many people pressing or pumping bottles to get the sanitiser out. What worried me is that if we all touch the bottle each time, the chances of infection is high. This made me think of a machine that can automatically release the sanitiser without having to touch the bottle,” said Monirul.

Deciding on an automatic sanitiser dispenser, Monirul collected some items, which include a nano board (a microcontroller board), a motherboard, an infrared sensor module, a small pump and a rechargeable battery unit.

“I assembled these items, mostly bought second-hand, and also created a space (cavity) for filling the liquid sanitiser. The machine needs to be put on a charger like a cellphone and then it works for hours,” said Monirul.

“Once we put our hand under the machine, the sensor reads it and releases the sanitiser,” he said.

Both water-based and gel-based sanitisers can be used in the machine.

Monirul comes from a modest home — his father Sheikh Nasiruddin is a jewellery worker who runs a six-member family. But his family backs him in his inventive endeavours, said the boy. Dispenser apart, he has also made an automated dustbin that works with sensors.

“He has never taken any training and yet he makes such things. I try to motivate him and despite financial constraints, try my best to meet his needs,” the dad said.

“Altogether, I spent some Rs 250 to make this machine,” Monirul said. “My father helped me with the money. I am now trying to make an automated full-body sanitising machine that can work with sensors without touch.”

But before that, he’s making two prototypes of the automatic hand sanitiser dispenser. “Two of my teachers have asked me to make the device for them,” he smiled. “If I get more orders, I plan to sell the machine for Rs 300,” added the inventive boy with an entrepreneurial mindset.