Team:NYU-AD/Safety

Safety


All the contents of our project are safe for human beings however some precautionary measures may have to be implemented for the proper use of our device. Some of the safety features that are included in our project are:

  1. The smell which attracts the mosquito is generated by Indole and lactic acid which are harmless to human beings.
  2. As we are working with current, the device is made out of plastic which is an insulator.
  3. All wires and electrical components visible externally are insulated to prevent electrocution.
  4. Most the components of the circuit are placed inside a plastic box so that there is very minimal chance of getting electrocuted when there is a problem in the circuit.
  5. When the mesh is inserted into the bottle and the circuit is switched on, there is no way anyone can come into contact with the mesh.

Even though we have implemented all these safety features we recommend some safety precautions:

  1. Before separating the top and bottom parts of the device, always make sure that the power is switched off.
  2. After the device is switched off, remove the mesh and short-circuit it by placing a conductor over the mesh so that there is no longer any charge stored in the wires or other electrical components.
  3. As the device involves mosquitos, ensure that effective mosquito repellant as well as suitable clothing is always worn to reduce the amount of skin exposure to mosquito bites.
  4. Always wear gloves when in contact with the petri dish containing the bacterial colony
  5. Use a pair of tweezers or forceps when inserting and removing the petri dish from the bottle to avoid contact with the bacterial colony
  6. Although a very unlikely occurrence, be careful when touching the edges of the plastic bottle which may be sharp.