Feasibility studies of SMILE (SMart Last-mILE cooling system) for the developed world

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According to the WHO, pre-COVID-19, 20 million children worldwide still had no access to basic vaccinations and 2 to 3 million children died each year of a vaccine-preventable disease. Globally, 20-50% of vaccines are wasted and in remote areas, 85% spoilage has been reported. One of the reasons is that during the last few miles of delivery ('last-mile') vaccines become damaged by temperature fluctuations .However, vaccine carriers used in the field are essentially cool boxes, i.e. boxes filled with icepacks. They either freeze vaccines or last barely a day when in use. Moreover, human error and incorrect handling further accelerate spoilage.IDEABATIC was established to solve these last-mile cold-chain issues in remote areas with limited resources. We created SMILE, a patented, SMart, last-mILE cooling system that minimises human error, reduces spoilage and improves efficiency. A senior scientist described it as a "Star Trek vaccine machine". SMILE is like a robust, portable vaccine vending machine with a backpack, designed for travel over rugged terrain. It is low-tech and fool-proof. Hexagonal in shape, SMILE contains a cylindrical ice block surrounded by a carousel system that holds vaccine vials. The carousel is also an air-locking system. A self-closing door complements the carousel to minimise heat transfer even when the door is opened repeatedly. SMILE can last for 3-6 days without power while monitoring and displaying the remaining cool-life. SMILE has been iterated, lab tested and field tested. We conducted a successful trial in remote villages in Madagascar in 2019\.SMILE will help in last-mile applications but is not limited to use in developing countries. Globally, cool boxes are used in research institutions, biomedical companies and logistics companies where similar issues persist. Our innovative solution requires evaluation to appreciate how compatible it is with the needs of developed-world customers and their working environments.The aims of this project are to investigate selected regions in the developed-world (mature) market where SMILE could make an impact and to explore international partnerships and gain access to new markets through collaboration.We recently spoke to companies in the UAE, Japan and Taiwan who have shown an interest in SMILE. We wish to focus on these regions for evaluation to strengthen our offering and identify the primary route to market.Our ultimate goal is to improve efficiency in:* vaccine coverage (including COVID-19)* sample collection* research* cold-chain applicationsby using SMILE or its related technologies globally.