From Dorm Room to Global Impact: The Journey of a Simple Idea Transforming Pandemic Safety Measures

I never realized how powerful a small idea can be until the height of the Covid-19 pandemic hit. Afraid of cross infections many of my roommates wore masks, even to bed. As I watched them groan and struggle in their sleep I had an eureka moment. Remembering the oxygen pods I saw online, I thought why don’t we create sleeping pods in the dorms that isolate each individual? With this idea in mind, I took action with my father who is a professor at Tongji University’s College of Design & Innovation.

We tried different sizes and textures of plastic bags. We ultimately chose the largest, not too fragile, yet breathable vacuum storage bag to create an amateur prototype. Within two weeks, this prototype was scaled up into a virus membrane structure with the help of my father’s colleagues.

By May, it had been transformed into large-scale engineering applications and was being sold and applied in numerous cities around China and even globally. It amazes me how a small spark from a student can transform into an innovative product that became a game-changer that ended up saving countless lives while winning awards along the way.