Solarclave - Solar Autoclave

Medical devices and instruments need to be properly sterilized before and after use with different patients. Rural clinics in Nicaragua often lack a constant supply of electricity required to attain the 250°F minimum temperature for sterilization. The student designers at Innovations in International Health (IIH) have designed a solar powered autoclave, dubbed Solarclave, to circumvent this issue and promote safe and healthy practices in rural medicine. A series of mirrors reflects sunlight, concentrating rays of light onto a closed bucket which acts as a "pressure cooker". The heat generated inside is well over the required minimum for sterilization; any instruments placed inside the vessel will be sterile and ready for use. The Solarclave's unique design optimally traps the heat reflected by the mirrors, making effective use of materials and time. The parts can be produced using locally-sourced materials (in Nicaragua thus far) and community groups like Las Mujeres Solares have been been trained to quickly assemble these units. The simple assembly also means that the Solarclave can also be transported to other rural clinics for use within the same day.

Innovations in International Health is based at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is composed of students from the Boston area. The Solarclave was developed by Ted Liao and Anna Young, who built a prototype in July 2011 and have been conducting tests in Nicaragua as of October 2011. The team is teaching rural laborers how to build and manufacture the Solarclave, so that IIH may transition into an advisory role in the future. Currently, the Solarclave is being designed for communities in Nicaragua at a cost of about $150 USD. IIH is currently working with clinics in Nicaragua to determine the logistics of storing, maintaining, and sharing the Solarclave.

Publicly available: no
Countries where available: Nicaragua
Price range (USD): 100 to 200 USD
Offered or can be licensed for local manufacture: Yes