Coronavirus caused inventors to change the way they thought about innovation, creating new products at a brisk pace. COVID has also changed the way we approach intellectual property law. As partner Nick Gingo described, many brands have shifted their operations to produce more COVID-friendly products, like Cleveland Whiskey, which started producing hand sanitizer when stores were running low. Other coronavirus inventions and product adaptations continue to help keep people safe during the pandemic.

Hygiene Hand Opens Doors

New York-based company StatGear saw a problem to solve: coronavirus spreads through contact, but there are still things we have to touch. They invented the Hygiene Hand, which they funded through kickstarter. This keychain-sized helper can open doors, push buttons in elevators, or key in your PIN at the ATM. Since the Hygiene Hand is made from brass, it is naturally antimicrobial.

Immutouch Stops You from Touching Your Face

Much like StatGear, Immutouch came from an existing company. Matt and Joseph Toles applied the technology from their Slightly Robot bracelet, which aided people in quitting bad habits like biting their nails, to their new Immutouch bracelet. Immutouch vibrates when you touch your face. Since coronavirus can be spread when you touch your mouth, eyes, or nose, this product adaptation is useful for those who often touch their faces when they are around others.

FaceFence™ Keeps People Socially Distanced

While existing companies are coming up with coronavirus-inspired inventions, there are COVID innovations coming from individuals as well. FaceFence™ is a wearable device that emits an alarm when others get too close. Eric Haseltine and Chris Gilbert came up with FaceFence™ during a dinner conversation about reducing the spread of coronavirus. Eric had many patents already under his belt from past inventions, so they trademarked their name and went to work on their device.

Other Coronavirus Inventions Lessening the Spread of COVID-19

In Indonesia, another husband and wife duo had a realization: deaf people were having trouble understanding others when they couldn’t read lips through masks. Faizah Badaruddin and her husband pivoted their business selling bedsheets and other items to sewing and selling masks when coronavirus hit. Their invention allowed hearing-impaired individuals to better understand people while still staying protected by a mask. Women inventors are making waves more often now, as are young inventors.

Ezedine Kamil, an 18-year-old inventor, has a slew of COVID innovations, 13 of which have been patented. From soap dispensers to mechanical ventilators, this young coronavirus inventor is finding solutions to Ethiopia’s problems. (If you have a product that you would like to be patented in other countries, you will need to file a foreign patent application.)

How do you file a patent for products like these?

Once you have your invention prototype, you file a patent to prevent other people from making the same product that you make. This right is continuously monitored by intellectual property firms like Renner Otto to ensure no one is infringing on your patent.

If you’re thinking about filing a patent for a new product, the United States Patent and Trademark Office is raising fees on October 2nd. Make sure to increase your product budget that takes into consideration the additional fees or file prior to the deadline.

If your invention is the next big innovation in pandemic assistance, we offer free consultations. Contact us to tell us about your product, and let’s start the conversation.