[Coronavirus] Walk-thru virus screening system to be patented abroad

By Lim Chang-won Posted : April 13, 2020, 17:34 Updated : August 4, 2020, 14:58

[Yonhap Photo]

SEOUL -- South Korean Inventors of a "walk-thru" system developed for the quick and safe screening of patients infected with a novel coronavirus will apply for an overseas patent to protect intellectual property rights. It will be promoted as the brand name of "K-Walkthru."

Along with a drive-thru screening system that gained global attention, a walk-thru system has been introduced in South Korea to reduce the time taken for the screening of patients. The walk-thru system has completed patent applications at home.

However, inventors gave up the egoistic use of their technology and agreed that even if they obtain patent rights, walk-thru technology should be widely used for public interests through technical support for developing countries, rather than monopolizing it.

The agreement came on Monday when the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) organized talks with walk-thru system inventors from a community health center in the southern port city of Busan, H-plus Yangji Hospital and Korea Kiyon, a glovebox system developer.

As inventors requested quality certification and support for exports, KIPO Commissioner Park Won-joo promised to work with related ministries, find production companies and provide funds for commercialization along with brand certification.

Usually, it takes about 30 minutes to screen one person because of meticulous disinfection. With a walk-thru system, it takes six or seven minutes. When a visitor enters a diagnostic booth, medical personnel take samples from outside to reduce the risk of direct contact. While the booth is being disinfected, another booth will take samples.

Separately, a medical center operated by the Seoul National University Seoul hospital has adopted a "glove-wall" system that allows doctors to examine people from the other side of a protective wall. The glove wall system consists of a box-shaped room with a clear acrylic wall with a pair of hand holes which have oversleeves extended outwards so that medical staff can take samples.
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