Rayvon Stewart, a proud alumnus of Jamaica’s University of Technology, hails from the charming rural farming community of Mount Prospect. This inspiring 30-year-old software engineer has made his family proud by becoming the first to pursue a college education.

During his academic journey, Stewart discovered a passion for invention that blossomed further when he volunteered at a hospital at the age of 23. It was there that he identified a meaningful challenge he could address through his creativity and innovation.

This pivotal experience in healthcare inspired him to develop a remarkable self-disinfecting door handle, which he named Xermosol. This invention is designed to promote cleanliness and safety in healthcare settings and beyond.

Reflecting on his motivation, Stewart shared with The Guardian, “I saw how patients were suffering, the assistance that they needed, and how difficult it was for the nurses.” His compassionate vision is at the heart of Xermosol’s creation.

Xermosol utilizes cutting-edge ultraviolet technology to eliminate 99.9% of pathogens while remaining safe for both people and animals. The invention has already garnered provisional patent protection and earned prestigious accolades, including Jamaica’s Prime Minister’s National Youth Award and the Commonwealth Health Innovations Award.

Alison Drayton, assistant secretary-general of Caricom, praised the invention, describing it as a “life-saving design that fits our reality.” She emphasized that it is a testament to the power of innovation driven by purpose and resilience.

The self-sanitizing door handle has attracted over $200,000 in initial investments and is celebrated as a transformative solution for hospitals, hotels, and various businesses seeking to curb the spread of illness. The handle features a unique design with a specialized ring that surrounds the cylindrical door handle. Inside this ring is a sponge soaked in disinfectant, ready to spring into action.

When a person grasps the handle, a touch sensor activates ultraviolet lights, triggering a cleaning process that takes about 30 seconds. Remarkably, this innovative device operates without batteries or electricity, relying instead on the natural motion of opening and closing the door to initiate its disinfecting sequence.

While experts remind us that Xermosol complements, rather than replaces, the essential cleaning protocols recommended by the World Health Organization, it stands as a valuable tool for enhancing infection control in high-traffic areas.

Dr. Camille-Ann Thoms-Rodriguez, a consultant microbiologist at the University of the West Indies, expressed pride in Stewart’s achievements, noting, “A lot of the innovation that we see in healthcare is often from a first-world country where there are more resources … but it doesn’t mean that we don’t have good ideas here.”

The impact of Xermosol has already reached beyond Jamaica, with clients including Fort Lauderdale International Airport. Currently, many of these innovative door handles are installed in Jamaica, particularly at the Kingston Freeport and the University Hospital of the West Indies.

Future versions of Xermosol are set to be available in three different sizes, catering to various environments such as offices, bathrooms, homes, and commercial spaces.

As the Xermosol team continues to innovate and transform challenges into opportunities, they remain dedicated to creating solutions that protect and uplift lives. Their unwavering commitment to purpose-driven invention is truly inspiring, reminding us all of the positive change that can come from a single idea.