Wearing a mask may be the greatest form of protection against the spread of Covid-19, but the virus can also be transmitted from contaminated surfaces.
While the World Health Organisation recommends frequently cleaning and disinfecting surfaces that are touched regularly – from door handles to screens – a design team at NYU Abu Dhabi is changing the way people enter and exit rooms to get a handle on the situation.
The team have invented a device that facilitates using one’s foot, as opposed to one’s hands, to open doors. Development started last summer when researchers were barred from conducting experiments on campus as part of the university’s response to the pandemic.
“My researchers were not allowed to go to the lab. After a few weeks of being completely shut out, we managed to convince leadership to give partial access to a few researchers,” says Mohammad Qasaimeh, assistant professor of mechanical and biomedical engineering at NYU Abu Dhabi.
“However, there were biologists doing experiments on Covid-19 patient samples in the same building, so people were very concerned about going into that building and touching doors.”
We are leaning towards releasing [the system] for free for the good of humanity and to prove the point that simplicity is key
Bisan Samara, a former research assistant with Qasaimeh, saw this as an opportunity to solve the problem using a simple mechanical solution. The two came up with a pivot and lever that can be attached to doors and operated using your foot. It consists of only two parts: a rectangular white base and a cord.
“We have a nice campus and the property management company does not want us to change anything in the architecture, so drilling into doors was not an option. Consequently, we ended up 3D-printing the mechanical parts and using double-sided tape to attach the base to the door, while the cord attaches to the door handle. That’s it. It’s like a high school project,” says Qasaimeh.
The simplicity of the system is what Qasaimeh is most proud of. "That's the whole point," he says. "We develop miniature devices in biomedical engineering for point-of-care diagnostics, but this is exactly the opposite – not sophisticated, just useful."
The nameless contraption is installed on nine doors around the university, including at the Welcome Centre, two lab doors and a few staff offices. Thanks to rapid prototyping done in-house by Dr Oraib Al Ketan, a research instrumentation scientist at NYU Abu Dhabi, the team was able to install and test the system quickly. Early feedback from users has also led to small improvements.
Using the lever to push the door open with one foot is fairly easy, but pulling a door open while balancing on one foot can be a bit tricky. To help facilitate this action on heavier doors, the hinges were softened making them easier to manoeuvre with one foot.
Additional feedback pointed to self-preservation and maybe a twinge of vanity, so rubber padding has been added to the panel to reduce the likelihood of damaging one’s foot and expensive shoes.
The team also identified other potential design flaws that they are working to correct. For example, there is a concern that double-sided tape may fail if attached to outside doors in extreme heat. Matilde Handal, an undergraduate mechanical engineering student, is modifying the design to improve user experience as part of her capstone project under Qasaimeh's supervision.
With regard to the future of this innovation, two ideas are in play: one is to patent and commercialise it and the other is to make the 3D design available on the internet for free. Qasaimeh explains how this final decision presents the only circumstance where simplicity is not completely favoured.
“It’s such a simple mechanical system that it is not easy to patent because there are many similar systems out there, albeit not specifically for foot-operated doors. It’s like people were using this system in 200 BC, right?
“We are leaning towards releasing it for free for the good of humanity and to prove the point that simplicity is key. We are not introducing rocket science here, but I have not touched the door handle for my office in eight months, so it’s a solution that is working.”
BRAZIL SQUAD
Alisson (Liverpool), Daniel Fuzato (Roma), Ederson (Man City); Alex Sandro (Juventus), Danilo (Juventus), Eder Militao (Real Madrid), Emerson (Real Betis), Felipe (Atletico Madrid), Marquinhos (PSG), Renan Lodi (Atletico Madrid), Thiago Silva (PSG); Arthur (Barcelona), Casemiro (Real Madrid), Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa), Fabinho (Liverpool), Lucas Paqueta (AC Milan), Philippe Coutinho (Bayern Munich); David Neres (Ajax), Gabriel Jesus (Man City), Richarlison (Everton), Roberto Firmino (Liverpool), Rodrygo (Real Madrid), Willian (Chelsea).
At a glance - Zayed Sustainability Prize 2020
Launched: 2008
Categories: Health, energy, water, food, global high schools
Prize: Dh2.2 million (Dh360,000 for global high schools category)
Winners’ announcement: Monday, January 13
Impact in numbers
335 million people positively impacted by projects
430,000 jobs created
10 million people given access to clean and affordable drinking water
50 million homes powered by renewable energy
6.5 billion litres of water saved
26 million school children given solar lighting
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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UAE SQUAD
Mohammed Naveed (captain), Mohamed Usman (vice captain), Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Imran Haider, Tahir Mughal, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed, Fahad Nawaz, Abdul Shakoor, Sultan Ahmed, CP Rizwan
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The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh960,000
Engine 3.9L twin-turbo V8
Transmission Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic
Power 661hp @8,000rpm
Torque 760Nm @ 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 11.4L / 100k
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The five pillars of Islam
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Ajax v Juventus, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match on BeIN Sports
Seven tips from Emirates NBD
1. Never respond to e-mails, calls or messages asking for account, card or internet banking details
2. Never store a card PIN (personal identification number) in your mobile or in your wallet
3. Ensure online shopping websites are secure and verified before providing card details
4. Change passwords periodically as a precautionary measure
5. Never share authentication data such as passwords, card PINs and OTPs (one-time passwords) with third parties
6. Track bank notifications regarding transaction discrepancies
7. Report lost or stolen debit and credit cards immediately
PROFILE OF CURE.FIT
Started: July 2016
Founders: Mukesh Bansal and Ankit Nagori
Based: Bangalore, India
Sector: Health & wellness
Size: 500 employees
Investment: $250 million
Investors: Accel, Oaktree Capital (US); Chiratae Ventures, Epiq Capital, Innoven Capital, Kalaari Capital, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Piramal Group’s Anand Piramal, Pratithi Investment Trust, Ratan Tata (India); and Unilever Ventures (Unilever’s global venture capital arm)
Company%20profile
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