This Chennai couple has invented a mask vending machine to help people get masks easily!

This mask vending machine #InstaMask gives out a surgical mask at just Rs.5 and has been installed at Koyambedu bus terminus in Chennai.

Here is good news for people in Chennai as now they can get a packed surgical mask on their way through a mask vending machine. Krishna Priyadarshini and Vijayaragavan Visuvamithran have invented this unique mask vending machine that helps you get a mask with a coin of Rs.5. The machine has been installed at the largest bus depot i.e Koyambedu bus terminus (CMBT) in Chennai and has sold around 40,000 masks since December 2020.

With an aim to build a high-volume machine in a compact size, this power couple worked remotely with their team for months. They used 3D models to study the prototype, after which they did a pilot study at a hospital. The duo kept working on the model by listening to the customer feedback. Their hard work paid off and now the vending machine can hold around 500 masks at a time. Currently, it is selling about 150 masks every day.

Krishna Priyadarshini and Vijayaragavan have completed their graduation from Anna University and #InstaMask is not their first project. Two years back, they were working on a similar prototype that can sell fresh coconut water at hospitals for cancer patients. However, because of the pandemic, they could not take it further. They then decided to use the same idea for face masks. After working for more than 6 months they finally made #InstaMask. During their research, the couple studied many such models abroad to understand their pros and cons.



Priyadarshani had an IT job while her husband was a full-time research fellow at IIT Madras. In 2020, they both left their jobs to do something for society, and started their company 'Instagood technology solutions'. Now the couple is planning to install #InstaMask all across the city.  



Source: India Today

Also Read: Wear these eco-friendly masks that grow into a plant after being discarded!

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