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To protect his parents, this 12-year-old invented a life-saving tool against COVID-19

Innovation
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Creativity
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USA

You wouldn't expect a 12-year-old to have created the ultimate survival tool for COVID-19. But that's exactly what Mizan Rupan-Tompkins did. After watching his parents touch surfaces with their sleeves to avoid contamination, the San Francisco local put his mind to innovating a solution. The result is a device that’s transforming people’s lives. 

Using a 3D printer, Rupan-Tompkins created a handle that allows for contact-free interaction with surfaces such as doors and buttons. It’s not the first of its kind, but its specific features make it ideal for our current circumstances. Made of plant-based bio compostable plastic, it prevents scratches as opposed to other gizmos made of metal. The handle also contains silver ion particles which actively repel micro organisms, making it perfect to use when trying to dodge bacteria.

This isn’t Rupan-Tompkins’ first brush with ingenuity. He has accrued accolades and recognition as an innovator, having even built a computer from scratch. With the Safe Touch Pro Handle™, Rupan-Tompkins has created something that will have a long-lasting impact on how people approach public spaces. The tool is a stroke of genius that all started with the simple desire to keep his parents safe from germs. “No matter how old you are, you’re still able to make a difference,” Rupan-Tompkins says. If this is the kind of contribution he’s already making to the global community, the future will be filled with his ideas.

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