In the present situation, when we are witnessing the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, feeling scared or anxious is nothing but natural. It is important though not to succumb to the fears and concentrate on the way we may help. Employees and students from our University have decided that the knowledge and skills they normally use during lectures and lab classes may be of assistance here.

Three dimensions of provided support

In the volunteering projects specialist equipment is used, together with practical application of engineering skills. The busiest are 3D printers, being ideal for production of components of special visors which protect healthcare professionals from droplet infection. In various actions initiated by persons connected with the University not only the University machines but also private equipment is being used.

Kamil Deja, doctoral student at the Faculty of Electronics and Information Technology, with the support from professor Przemysław Rokita, has started an inter-faculty project of printing protective masks. The team from the Institute of Microelectronics and Optoelectronics from the same Faculty is also involved in the project.

The 3D Laboratory at the Faculty of Power and Aeronautical Engineering has started the production of visors for two medical centres in the Mazovian Province. When these have enough protective items, the support will be extended to include also other units. It is worth mentioning that students from 3D Print Student Research Group take part in this project as well.

Students from research groups Humanoid and ADek also print visors in their homes, using their private equipment, based on the model made available by the company Prusa Research.

Among the printing volunteers are also the founders of TechOcean company, both of them graduates of the Faculty of Power and Aeronautical Engineering. They are supported by Bartłomiej Wałpuski, doctoral student from the Faculty of Mechatronics, who adds protective shields to the printed components.

Another important initiative was launched by BioMedLab from the Faculty of Chemistry and Process Engineering. The team led by professor Tomasz Ciach not only joined the inter-faculty project of printing visors but they also started production of masks with removable filters.

Data processing

The production of personal protection items is not the only contribution from our community to help fight the consequences of the pandemic. On the internet we may find numerous examples of projects from which anyone can benefit.

A clear and user-friendly manner of presenting various data connected with the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and COVID-19 infections is possible with such projects as the model for visualisation of the pandemic created by Mateusz Soliński from the Faculty of Physics, and the coronavirus map created by Adam Mazurkiewicz, a graduate of the Faculty of Power and Aeronautical Engineering.

The already mentioned ADek Student Research Group presents an interesting analysis on the coronavirus outbreak and its impact on energy consumption worldwide.

Moreover, a telemedicine platform is to be launched, to help patients contact physicians and obtain prescriptions or sick leave certificates. We will inform about this project – developed by two brothers, a student of the Faculty of Electronics and Information Technology and a graduate of the Faculty of Mathematics and Information Science – in more detail soon.

Training the brain

The pandemic and isolation have forced us to master new forms of communication, and new forms of education as well. Remote learning is a challenge, but its forms may be fascinating.

The Council of Doctoral Students organized online workshops on the fundamentals of data science with the use of Python programming language. Workshop participants worked with data on the coronavirus outbreak.

The Student Council of the Warsaw University of Technology proposes a creative take on the challenge and announces a “coronathon” where participants create an application or a prototype of a solution to cope with the consequences of the pandemic.

The Faculty of Physics, on the other hand, has taken care of the access to quality educational materials by posting online a multimedia handbook of physics as well as some parts of the publication “Physics in 950 Capsules” (one among many available at epodreczniki.pl) together with additional materials.

#stayathome and act

Many research groups, student organizations and University units underline the need to remain in isolation but also suggest we use this break from classes as a development opportunity. We encourage everyone to follow their posts and get inspired with the creative ways to spend this unusual time.

We hope that this list will become even longer. We invite all those who are connected with the University and support the fight with the consequences of the pandemic through their actions to share their achievements with us.

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