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Malang students invent apple, coconut-based antibacterial spray for smartphones
Protect Magic prevents the growth of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), which is frequently found on skin and hair.
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Protect Magic works to prevent the growth of bacteria on smartphones that can cause skin infections. (Shutterstock/ThomasDeco)
F
ive students from the Brawijaya University in Malang, East Java, have invented an antibacterial spray for smartphones made from apple and coconut extracts.
Tempo.co reported that the spray, called Protect Magic, prevents the growth of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), which is frequently found on skin and hair.
For their invention, the students, M Kiki Saputra, Grandy Zovanca, Revin Yohanes Abraham, Cynthia Ayu Dwi Lestari and Rininta Arifianingsih, received a gold medal and special awards from the International and Innovation Promotion Association in Honor of Highest Standard of Excellence, an event hosted by Group Professional Trade Exhibition and Meeting Planners (PROTEMP) and the Malaysian Association of Research Scientists (MARS).
They also received offers from several investors to develop the invention into a mass-produced product.
Team leader Kiki told Antara in Malang on Tuesday that the spray comprised apple and coconut extracts.
“To use it, [you] only need to spray the liquid into your smartphone, except where the camera is,” said Kiki, adding that the liquid would turn to vapor with an apple aroma.
Read also: Brawijaya University students win gold in 2018 IUFoST
Protect Magic has been tested in laboratories three times and the results showed that it worked to prevent S. aureus bacteria development, which can cause skin infections.
Kiki said the team's idea came from current technological developments and human mobility.
He mentioned that human mobility could not be separated from communication tools, including smartphones. However, health threats lurk behind people's attachment to smartphones as the device usually carries pathogenic bacteria.
“Protect Magic can be applied when needed,” said Kiki.
He hoped that the product could be commercially developed so that many people could benefit from it. (jes/mut)
