REALiTY: REmoving Allergens with pLasma TechnologY

Using this award a disruptive technological solution will be developed to alleviate the suffering of millions of people across the UK. It is envisaged that the developed device will be deployed in households and offices across the country to significantly reduce the concentration of airborne allergenic agents from within the indoor environment; thus making a significant contribution to the general wellbeing of over 12 million allergy sufferers in the UK. This disruptive technological solution will reduce the burden of allergy on the UK economy, which is estimated at around £7.1 Bn per annum through lost productivity and a further £311 million per year through the use of NHS resources.

The project proposes the development of a Cold Atmospheric pressure Plasma (CAP) solution that is capable of simultaneously targeting multiple allergenic agents and overcomes many of the drawbacks associated with current approaches. To ensure widespread uptake and therefore maximise the impact from this research, the developed technology will be packaged as a low-cost and energy efficient consumer appliance, suitable for continuous use within the home.

Technological development will not be easy nor risk free; however, the reward for overcoming these challenges will be a substantial improvement in public health and UK prosperity. To succeed, the outcomes of multiple RCUK funded research projects will be brought together to form a unique engineering solution which will be co-developed in collaboration with a forward-thinking UK-based industrial partner.

This project proposes the development of a disruptive new technology that targets common airborne allergens within the indoor environment and thus offers a chance to improve the quality of life for a vast number of people (> 12 million in the UK alone), whilst stimulating prosperity through increased productivity (currently a £7 Bn loss to the UK economy each year). The proposed device will be ultimately marketed to the general public, hence the research activity is focused on producing a low-cost, consumable free and efficient system with mass-market appeal.

It is fully anticipated that this adventurous research project will generate widespread impact. In the short-term, considerable academic impact is expected with important discoveries related to plasma chemistry and allergen degradation pathways reported in leading scientific journals/conferences spanning the fields of plasma science, allergy and immunology. On the longer-term, impact will be generated through the commercialisation of the technology and its ultimate introduction in to the home/office environment. To support technological development beyond the lifetime of the project and maximise the potential to generate impact on a national/international scale the inclusion of a forward-thinking UK based industrial partner is key. The partner brings vital expertise in the development of sophisticated home appliances and will inform the research and development process from the outset, thus ensuring technological development remains focused.