Woolworths
How we created a product that impacted hundreds of thousands of lives.
The challenge
Woolworths faced the challenge of maintaining the health and safety of its customers in high-traffic areas, particularly during peak shopping times. With thousands of customers handling products, shopping carts, and surfaces throughout the store, the risk of spreading germs, including viruses like COVID-19, became a pressing concern. To address this, Woolworths needed a dependable solution that would promote hygiene and reassure customers that their well-being was a top priority.
The solution
We developed a robust IoT sanitiser machine as a vital solution for Woolworths during the COVID-19 pandemic. Designed as a freestanding station, it was strategically placed in high-traffic areas such as store entrances and exits to ensure easy access for customers. Additionally, it was positioned near elevators, lifts, and public restrooms, offering extra protection in critical areas. Its durable construction made it an ideal choice for maintaining hygiene and safety, helping Woolworths reduce the spread of the virus and protect its customers in busy public spaces.
0+
Machines built
0 million+
Sprays
0 Stores
Installed
In their words
“Working with Handee was an absolute dream, we really felt they had the time for us and the whole project was seamless start to finish.”
What we built
A fleet you can run from anywhere
Every station reports home. The platform around the hardware keeps 800+ machines refilled, running and accounted for.
- 01
An app for the fleet
Refill notifications, usage reports, monthly analytics and machine health, with maintenance alerts the moment a unit needs attention.
- 02
A realtime dashboard
Spray counts per machine, area and location, by time of day, with every unit's online status. All data lands in a reporting database open to any BI tool.
- 03
Device management
A new unit is registered by scanning the QR code on the device, allocated to its store, and reports its own data and statistics from then on.
- 04
A built-in chatbot
Instant help with queries, installation instructions, self-diagnosis of a problem, and a handover to a human agent when it's needed.
- 05
Five days on a charge
An 8800 mAh battery pack keeps a station running for up to five days, so a power cut never means an empty dispenser.
- 06
Connected anywhere
An ESP32 with a 4G/LTE modem reports from any store, and the pump is tested to endure over a million cycles.
Gallery
Manufacturing
The product was meticulously engineered, featuring a custom-designed board integrated with an ESP32 microcontroller and a Simcom SIM7070 4G/ LTE modem for reliable internet connectivity.
The design includes an HC-SR04 ultrasonic sensor and a 12V diaphragm pump, tested to endure over one million cycles. Powered by an 8800 mAh battery pack, it delivers up to five days of operation. Every component, from the hardware to the firmware, has been carefully crafted to ensure optimal performance and durability.
Keep exploring
From our insights
Practical writing on how we build, from the first prototype to a fleet in the field.
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