SudorScreen: Waterproof Antibacterial Sunscreen Derived from Hippopotamus Sweat

  • Team Mantis Shrimps: Jonathan Ko, Carolyn Ge

  • 2014-2015 Conrad Spirit of Innovation Challenge

faq

Provide a short description of your product or service.

SudorScreen is a biologically based product that protects the skin from harmful ultraviolet rays as well as infection. It delivers the unique protection with acids found in sweat from hippos. Hippos live in a much sunnier region than most humans, but they do not receive any type of skin damage from the sun, because hippos secrete hipposudoric and norhipposudoric acids, found in their “sweat”. When these two acids combine with mucus on hippos’ skin, they form a powerful natural sunscreen, sunblock, and antibiotic, which protect them from the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays and kills bacteria.

Explain the problem your product or service is designed to solve.

Because of pollution from humans, the ozone layer has depleted alarmingly. One of the many problems that people face because of this depletion is exposure to ultraviolet radiation, which can cause melanoma, a form of skin cancer. However, current sunscreens and sunblocks are only effective for a few hours and wear off even faster in water. Additionally, many people get infected cuts and wounds and are forced to undergo painful treatment. SudorScreen can help solve both of these problems in one stroke using the acids and pigments found in hippopotamus sweat.

List the key features of your product or service.

The key features of SudorScreen will include large amounts of absorption of ultraviolet radiation, as well as great disinfectant power. The red pigments in hipposudoric acid and the orange pigments in norhipposudoric acid absorb ultraviolet rays from the sun, protecting your skin. The red two pigment acts as an antibiotic, inhibiting the growth of the pathogenic bacteria. Also, because of the way that hipposudoric and norhipposudoric acids polymerize with mucus, SudorScreen will be waterproof and last much longer than current sunscreens, sunblocks, or antibiotics.

Describe the ways in which your product or service is innovative.

Our product is innovative because it contains hipposudoric acid and norhipposudoric acid, which are acids derived from the sweat of hippos. We will also implement an artificial mucus substitute, which provides a medium in which the acids work. Hipposudoric and norhipposudoric acids are both used by hippos as an antiseptic, sunscreen, and sunblock to keep their skin healthy and free of bacteria and of sunburn. SudorScreen’s ability to perform two tasks in one allows consumers to save time and money. Additionally, in the presence of mucus, hipposudoric and norhipposudoric acids polymerize into a water-resistant form which can last all day.

Describe how your product or service benefits the world.

SudorScreen harnesses the powers of hipposudoric and norhipposudoric acids to deliver double protection for human skin. It will benefit the world by reducing the risks of skin cancer and other diseases caused by ultraviolet rays from the sun, as well as bacterial infection of cuts or wounds on the skin. It will also provide a sunscreen, sunblock, and antibiotic that is waterproof and lasts much longer than current products. Thus, SudorScreen will allow customers to fully enjoy pools and beaches on hot, sunny days.  SundorScreen could potentially be used to help space exploration by shielding astronauts from deadly ultraviolet radiation.