Cooper

When COVID-19 hit the United States in early March it threw my family into disarray. My school district unexpectedly shut down and had a tough time transitioning to online learning, which left my mother clueless about how our education was going to be handled. She was also concerned about the risks involving the virus she had to endure during everyday activities. Unfortunately, some things like grocery shopping are simply unavoidable and require human interaction, which means that even the most dedicated quarantining cannot mitigate risk effectively.

Cooper is the simple solution for a complex problem: a cheap, mass producible, highly effective glove that keeps you and those you interact with safe while completing everyday tasks.

At its core, Cooper utilizes two different approaches to protect the user from pathogens like COVID-19. First, the palm is lined in an antimicrobial copper mesh that destroys bacteria on contact and breaks down viruses within hours (exactly how can be found in this Smithsonian article). This effectively allows the glove to disinfect itself and any surface it comes in contact with, which is especially useful when shopping or interacting with multiple items, as any one item you touch won't transfer pathogens to other items through your touch (imagine browsing through groceries in a supermarket, if bacteria were present on an apple, they wouldn't be able to spread to other fruits you touch). Second, the physical structure of the mesh limits the surface area that could potentially come in contact with a pathogen, which reduces the risk of exposure significantly.

When I initially came up with this idea I knew it could be highly effective but I unfortunately had no idea how to sew, which meant that when I had finally gathered the materials, the early prototypes were sloppy and fragile. Luckily, my acquaintance Margot Kelsey had much more sewing expertise and volunteered her time to create a quality glove that is sturdy enough for use in everyday life.

The potential applications for Cooper are nearly limitless. One of copper's major advantages is that it's effective against nearly every known pathogen, so it will be a relevant sanitary device even after the pandemic is over. Although Cooper's main purpose is to protect the user, it is also highly effective at preventing the spread of bacteria and viruses; if workers in the delivery/service industry were to use it, they could prevent transmission to consumers and among themselves.

Simply put, Cooper is a preventative sanitary device that is universally applicable and easily produced, making it incredibly versatile and adaptable to any situation.