Nurus

COVID-19 Contact-Free Sampling Unit

Designed a Bio-Security Level III Contact-Free Sampling Unit to aid frontline healthcare workers during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. This open-source design was enabling production and global accessibility.

The project required a multidisciplinary approach, combining industrial design, engineering, and medical expertise to develop a solution that is both clinically safe and operationally efficient.

Industrial Design

Healthcare

Bio-security

Air Filtration

Cleanroom Engineering

CAD

Innovation

PROJECT

OVERVIEW

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, I designed the Contact-Free Sampling Unit—a protective solution that minimizes infection risk during testing procedures, ensuring safety for healthcare professionals and the public.

This project was also the subject of a scientific study, published in the Gazi Medical Journal (2020), which examined its effectiveness in reducing transmission risks. The research highlighted the unit’s ability to safely collect respiratory samples and its role in quarantining high-risk individuals using negative pressure technology in settings like airports and shopping malls.

See the Research Paper

⚡ ROLE

Product Designer

👥 TEAM

▫ 1 Product Designer
▫ 3 Engineers
▫ 10 Technicians
▫ 3 Supporting Firms
▫ 5 Consultants
▫ Inhouse Manufacturing Team

🧰 TOOLS

▫ SpaceClaim, Rhino (3D Modeling)

📆 TIMELINE

▫ 2 Weeks
▫ March 2020
▫ Full-Time

RESEARCH

& DESIGN PROCESS

I. Problem Identification & Research

To develop an effective safe sampling and quarantine cabinet, we conducted extensive research on airborne virus transmission, air filtration systems, and controlled pressure environments.

🔬 Key Findings:
🟢 Airborne Contamination Risk → Respiratory droplets and aerosols are primary transmission vectors for viruses like COVID-19.
🔵 Filtration & Pressure Control → HEPA & ULPA filters, combined with positive/negative pressure regulation, significantly reduce infection risks.
🟡 Cleanroom Standards → Existing medical cleanroom guidelines and biosafety protocols informed the system’s air circulation and safety mechanisms.

💡 Consultations & Expert Input
To ensure optimal safety and usability, we collaborated with:
▫ Medical professionals → Evaluated risk factors and usability in clinical settings.
▫ HVAC & filtration engineers → Provided insights into airflow control and filter integration.
▫ Industrial designers → Developed an ergonomic and space-efficient enclosure.

II. Concept Development & Design Criteria

The design of the safe sampling and quarantine cabinet focused on maximizing user safety and operational efficiency while addressing critical health concerns.

🔹 Core Requirements:
🟢 Safe Sample Collection → The cabinet needed to ensure that healthcare workers could collect samples without exposure to infection.
🔵 Dual Pressure System → The design featured positive pressure for medical personnel, protecting them from airborne contaminants, and negative pressure to contain potential patient contaminants, eliminating airborne risks.
🟡 Mobile & Versatile → The cabinet needed to be fully mobile, allowing easy deployment in high-risk, high-traffic public areas like airports and shopping malls, providing flexibility to adapt to various environments.

⚙️ Design Challenges:
▫ Mobility → Ensuring the system is lightweight, easy to transport, and stable while maintaining high performance.
▫ Airflow Management → Integrating a precise filtration system without compromising the cabinet's mobility or space constraints.
▫ Ergonomics → Designing with user-friendly access points, ensuring minimal physical strain during use, especially in high-pressure environments.

III. Prototype Development & Technical Specifications

The prototype design was refined to meet stringent health and safety standards, combining advanced filtration with ergonomic considerations to ensure maximum protection for both healthcare personnel and patients.

🔹 Dimensions & Chamber Layout
🟢 Positive Pressure Chamber → A spacious 1.8 × 2 × 2.1 m chamber for medical personnel, designed to maintain a safe environment with a constant flow of clean air.
🔵 Negative Pressure Chambers → Two 1 × 1 × 2.1 m chambers for patient testing, engineered to contain and eliminate airborne contaminants effectively.

🔹 Filtration System
🟢 Positive Pressure Chamber → Fresh air is continuously supplied and filtered through U15 ULPA filters, achieving 70 air changes per hour to maintain a cleanliness level comparable to ISO 5/Class 100 operating room standards.
🔵 Negative Pressure Chambers → Air is replaced 220 times per hour, filtered through U15 ULPA filters to ensure contaminants are captured before exhausting, maintaining a safe, controlled environment.

🔹 Pressure Regulation & Monitoring
🟢 Positive Pressure → Maintained at ≥+14 Pascal to safeguard medical staff from external contaminants.
🔵 Negative Pressure → Maintained at ≥-20 Pascal in the patient chambers, monitored via pressure manometers to ensure effective containment.

🔹 Sanitization & Durability
🟢 Alcohol Vapor Disinfection → The system was designed for rapid cleaning between patient use with alcohol vapor, ensuring thorough decontamination.
🔵 Surface Durability → Materials were chosen for their ability to withstand frequent disinfection without degradation, ensuring longevity and consistent hygiene standards.

This prototype integrated cutting-edge filtration and pressure regulation technologies to create a safe, reliable, and efficient system, ready for real-world deployment.

IV. Testing & Validation: Ensuring Peak Performance

The cabinet’s filtration system was rigorously tested against ISO cleanroom standards to ensure maximum effectiveness. The results were exceptional:

✔ Contaminant Reduction: The system reduced airborne contaminants by 10,753 times compared to outdoor air, achieving near-operating-room cleanliness.

✔ Airflow & Pressure Validation: Airflow rates and pressure levels were tested to ensure optimal containment and zero leakage, meeting the critical performance criteria for both patient and medical personnel safety.

✔ Quick Air Quality Restoration: The cabinet was able to bring air quality up to required hygiene levels within just 5 minutes, ensuring fast response in high-risk environments.

FINAL PRODUCTION

& IMPLEMENTATION

Once validated, mobile units were deployed for real-time testing and quarantine scenarios in hospitals, airports, and public spaces.

🚀 Modular & Scalable Design: The modular design allowed for easy scaling, ensuring the system could be adapted to various locations and conditions, from emergency settings to public health areas.

🔧 Seamless Integration: The design’s adaptability ensured smooth integration into real-world environments, demonstrating the system's versatility and ease of use.

This project exemplifies the successful fusion of industrial design, engineering, and healthcare expertise to deliver a highly functional, safety-critical product that addresses global health challenges.

CONCLUSION

Design-Driven Innovation for Public Health

The Respiratory Tract Safe Sampling & Quarantine Cabinet was the result of a structured industrial design process, seamlessly integrating ergonomics, engineering, and medical safety.

✅ Enhanced Protection – Minimized healthcare worker exposure through advanced containment and filtration.
✅ Efficient & Scalable – Designed for rapid deployment in high-risk environments with a modular structure.
✅ Human-Centered Approach – Prioritized usability, mobility, and real-world applicability.

This project showcases the power of industrial design in tackling global health challenges—transforming complex problems into functional, safety-critical solutions.

Special Thanks

A huge thank you to the following companies and individuals for their support in making this project a reality:

🏢 Mikropor – HEPA & ULPA filters
🏢 Unigen
🏢 AFS Piping
👤 Semih Pertin
👤 Murat Sayar
👤 Levent Gündüz
👤 Dilek Sunar

Open-Source Production Data

To encourage further adoption and improvements, we have shared the full production data of the Contact-Free Sampling Unit as open-source. Access the files below: