Development of Janus: Automated Social Distancing and Hand Hygiene

Implementation Device for Establishments and Public Spaces

G.C.L. Calub, J.A.O. Cruz, D.M. Figuracion, M.A.M. Velasquez, F.C.C. York

Abstract: Janus is a device that aids with the implementation of certain minimum health protocols, i.e. social
distancing and proper hand hygiene, specifically in establishments and certain public spaces. It does this by
automating the process of maintaining a certain capacity in the establishment, and allowing the use of hand sanitizer
without having to make contact with the pump. The device uses two modules to be able to carry out its functions,
and these are the Capacity Monitoring Module and the Automated Hand Sanitizer Module. The capacity monitoring
module utilizes Passive Infrared (PIR) motion sensors, a Serial MP3 player and a speaker, and a 20 x 4 LCD screen,
so that it is able to maintain count, and be able to remind people to follow certain minimum health protocols and
notify people if the establishment is already at capacity. The automated hand sanitizer module contains a sensor that
will detect the presence of a hand, indicating that a person wishes to use the hand sanitizer, and instructs servo
motors to automatically pump the sanitizer for them, so that they do not have to make contact with the sanitizer
pump anymore. Janus has the ability to accurately and consistently carry out its functions, such as counting,
notifying, detecting, and sanitizing, in the proper conditions or the correct situations.

Keywords: Arduino, Social Distancing, Hand Hygiene, Minimum Health Protocols, Implementation Devices,
Automated Systems, Capacity Monitoring System, Non-Contact Hand Sanitizer, Covid-19 Pandemic

1. Introduction
The emergence of Covid-19 has brought an
unprecedented impact on businesses across industries
and as well as the individual citizens living in the
world. The World Health Organization (WHO) in
2021 has recorded a total of 1,184,706 confirmed
cases of Covid-19 in the Philippines from January 2,
2020 to May 25, 2021, with about 19,983 deaths
reported and the estimated cases per day exceeded
4,000. The WHO in 2020 states that countries are
following the advice from them regarding the
introduction of physical distancing measures and
frequent sanitizing as two of the ways in which
transmission of the disease can be reduced. Health
and safety protocols such as social distancing of at
least one meter from each other, avoiding crowded
places, wearing face masks and face shields, rigorous
sanitization, and avoidance of face-to-face contact or
meetings are some that are currently being
implemented. Unfortunately, the implementation of
such regulations has led to the closing and straining
of educational, business, economic, local, and even
global institutions and sectors. It has also restricted
travel and social gathering amongst peers.
Biswas (2021) stated that in 2020, Philippine
economy went into a deep recession because of the
impact of the pandemic. The Philippines’ GDP has
contracted by 9.6% on a year-on-year basis, which
was the worst annual decline that was recorded since
the commencement of the National Accounts data
series in 1946. Additionally, Gardaworld (2021)
elaborates that due to this deep recession in the
Philippine economy, the government had to try and
open the business sector in various parts of the
country little by little. Unfortunately, trying to
balance the strengthening of the country’s economy
and maintaining good public health has proven to be
quite difficult.
The researchers developed a two-in-one prototype,
named “Janus”, from the Roman god of doorways,
entrances, exits, passages, and decisions where it
stands at the entrances and exits of establishments
firstly to make sure that the people entering the said
establishment sanitizes his/her hand properly also, to
monitor the amount of people inside. The prototype is
a combination of an automated hand sanitizer and an
automated minimum health protocol implementation
system which can be modified to notify people if the
establishment is already at a maximum capacity by
utilizing a screen and a sound system. This could be a
way to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 during
this new normal.
The core objective for this study is to develop Janus,
an automated social distancing and hand hygiene
implementation device for establishments and public
spaces, and determine its level of effectivity, level of
sensitivity, and the theoretical level of acceptability
as a perceived proposed idea by the respondents, who
are business/establishment owners and barangay or
municipal health officers.
2. Materials and Methods
Before reading the next section, the researchers
would like to mention now that there were multiple
extenuating circumstances that occurred that have
forced the researchers to make changes and such to
what is written in the following chapters and to what
is seen on the device. A major one was that there was
a defect with the LCD that the researchers were
supposed to use, and unfortunately, this was realized
too late. An expert confirmed that the codes and the
device wiring was already free from error, but still
the LCD continued to malfunction. And despite
numerous methods and advice and recommendations
offered by the expert that the researchers followed,
unfortunately, it was concluded that the LCD screen
was indeed defective. In the following chapters, the
LCD still remains. This is because this was the
original plan, and surveys were already given out and
the responses were already in, as well as the small
amount of time that the researchers had left. What the
researchers would like to show in the following
chapters is what the device would be like with the
LCD. As a replacement to have an indicator that the
device, aside from the LCD, indeed works, the
researchers have installed ten LED lights as an
indicator of the current number of people inside the
establishment. This replacement is purely for
demonstration purposes, as the intention with the
device is that the maximum value could be changed
at any time.
2.1 Research Methodology
The major goal of this research is to create an
automated hand sanitizer dispenser that can stop
viruses like COVID-19 from spreading and save
people from a pandemic. The study mainly used
microcontrollers and motion sensors to create an
automated minimum health protocol implementation
system for establishments and public spaces. The
researchers designed a device that is accessible to
Persons With Disabilities (PWD) by incorporating a
visual monitor (for the hearing impaired) and a
speaker (for the visually impaired) to assist them in
utilizing it.
The researchers used Quasi-Experimental Research
Design to predict and control the variables in the
study, as well as to determine their relationship to one
another. The goal of a quasi-experimental study is to
evaluate interventions without using randomization
(Eliopoulos, G., et. al, 2004). The design is used to
find out each hardware’s effectiveness and
preciseness, Passive Infrared (PIR) Motion Sensors’
accuracy, and the device’s overall functionality. A
series of testings have been carried out to determine
the device’s efficiency. The researchers then
compiled the results of the testing and used statistical
analysis to determine the device’s performance. The
obtained data and outcomes were subjected to several
procedures in order to generate interpreted data.
A questionnaire was used to collect information from
the participants and evaluate their level of
acceptability of the device in terms of efficiency,
reliability of its functioning, user-friendliness,
cost-effectiveness, and overall design of the
prototype.
2.2 Subjects of the Study
The respondents of the study were municipal health
officers and establishment owners from the chosen
areas. The researchers considered these people to be
the respondents for the entire testing period of the
device. There were a total of 14 respondents for the
study conducted: two health officers and 12
business/establishment owners, coming from the
locations specified in Section 2.3. Purposive
sampling was utilized in choosing the respondents for
the business and establishment owners, as well as the
municipal health office representative or officer.
2.3 Locale of the Study
This study aimed to develop Janus, a cost-effective
Arduino-Based Automated Social Distancing and
Hand Hygiene Implementation Device, which was
conducted in various areas of Rizal for the S.Y.
2020-2021. Due to time and mobility constraints, the
survey area that was originally supposed to be 4
municipalities in the province of Rizal, was reduced
to 2 municipalities, namely, Morong and Cainta,
Rizal.
Figure 1. Map of Rizal and the constituent areas for
survey
2.4 Design and Components
The device contains a total of two modules: the
capacity monitoring module and the automated hand
sanitizer module.
The capacity monitoring module is the device’s first
line of detection of human entry or exit from the
establishment. This module is responsible for
counting the current amount of people in the
establishment, and as well as changing that value as
people enter and exit the establishment. It utilizes
sensors to detect human movement through the
doorways or passageways. To then remind the people
to follow hand hygiene protocols and social
distancing protocols, the module uses an Liquid
Crystal Display (LCD) screen and a Serial MP3
Player connected to a speaker to be able to notify or
remind people in two different mediums, which are
audio and visual.
The automated hand sanitizer module is not
particularly new. It utilizes a sensor to detect the
presence of someone who wishes to sanitize their
hands. Then with the help of code, the servo motors
installed into the module will automatically pump the
hand sanitizer for them, effectively lessening, or even
eliminating the contact needed to apply hand
sanitizer.
The device utilizes three Passive Infrared (PIR)
sensors: one to count people going through the
entrance, one to count people going through the exit,
and one in the automated hand sanitizer. It also
utilizes two MG-995 Servo Motor Towers to be able
to pump the hand sanitizer. It also utilizes a 20 x 4
Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) screen and a Serial
MP3 Player and a speaker to be able to notify people
in two separate mediums (audio and visual). And the
one that controls them all is the Arduino Mega 2560
microcontroller, a large microcontroller capable of
handling many pins. Considering that the device is a
prototype, a breadboard is also present to distribute
and increase the capacity of connections, especially
for the VCC (voltage) and GND (ground) pins.
Figure 2. A Fritzing pin diagram of Janus, which
contains the capacity monitoring module and the
automated hand sanitizer module

Figure 3. A Fritzing pin diagram of Janus, but not
including the LCD screen
2.4.1 Capacity Monitoring Module
The Capacity Monitoring Module consists of two PIR
motion sensors, one placed on the entrance of the
establishment, and one placed on the exit. It can send
detection information to the LCD screen and the
speaker through the microcontroller and give
appropriate information for the notification system to
determine the proper action to be done.
a. Passive Infrared (PIR) Motion Sensors and the
Working Logic
The researchers decided to utilize PIR motion sensors
instead of the ultrasonic motion sensors because
firstly, the PIR motion sensor has greater range than
the ultrasonic motion sensor, making it more fit to be
attached to places that it cannot obstruct the pathway,
such as at the top of door frames, but do its job
nevertheless. Secondly, there are too many
environmental factors that can affect the accuracy of
data that an ultrasonic sensor can receive, such as
changing temperatures, noise from the environment,
wind, barriers, etc.
The two PIR motion sensors work in this device by
detecting the change of infrared radiation being
radiated from the environment due to the entry and
exit of specific sources from its detection range, such
as biological organisms like us, humans, through
doorways or specific locations on the entrance and
exits of the establishments.
The sensors take in this information and process it
through the code. If a motion is detected in the
entrance sensor, the device will begin to check the
current amount of people inside of the establishment,
which is denoted by the variable humval. It then
compares it to the maximum number of people that
can be accommodated by the establishment, denoted
by the variable maxval. If humval is less than or equal
to maxval, then the device will add one to humval
using this simple formula in the codes:
humval = humval + 1 …. (1)
But if humval is already equal to maxval, then the
device would utilize the audio-visual means to notify
the people that the establishment has already reached
maximum capacity and ask the people not to enter the
establishment for the meantime.
If a motion is detected by the exit sensor, then the
device will do the opposite of what the entrance
function does: it will subtract one for every person
that leaves the building, which can be expressed
mathematically as:
humval = humval - 1 …. (2)
b. Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) Screen
One of the mediums that the device utilizes to notify
its visitors is through visual means with the 20 x 4
LCD screen. The LCD screen can display various
messages, depending on the condition. It can either
display how many people are currently in the
establishment, or it can also display a warning
message for the person not to enter the establishment
for the time being. But due to unforeseen
circumstances, this component had to be removed
from the actual prototype.
c. Serial MP3 Player and Speaker
Another medium that the device uses to notify and
remind its visitors is through auditory means. For
this, the researchers employed the use of a Serial
MP3 Player and a speaker. The sound channel is
monaural, or sound created by a single speaker. The
Serial MP3 Player can house an SD card, but the
processes that can be carried out by the module are
exclusively for audio files, such as .mp3 or .wav files.
The audio files are stored in the SD card, and when a
certain condition is met, the Serial MP3 Player can
play a certain audio file, such as reminding the person
entering to follow proper hand hygiene protocols, or
to prevent them from entering the establishment for
the time being as the establishment is still currently at
maximum capacity.
2.4.2 Automated Hand Sanitizer
The automated hand sanitizer ensures that no contact
has to be made with the sanitizer pump for the person
who wishes to use it. To do this, the module employs
the functions of a PIR motion sensor, and two servo
motors to be able to do its function.
a. Passive Infrared (PIR) Motion Sensor
The PIR motion sensor in this module works
similarly to how the PIR motion sensors work in the
Capacity Monitoring Module. The only difference is
that the information that it gives to the
microcontroller is directed to the two servo motors in
the sanitizer pump. The target to be detected by this
sensor is the presence of a hand. If the sensor detects
a hand, the servo motors will work and pump the
sanitizer for the person. If there is no hand being
detected, then the module remains stationary.
b. MG-995 Servo Motor Towers
The MG-995 Servo Motor Towers are powerful
brands of a servo motor, where these motors contain
metal gears, which can produce more torque and have
a better gear strength, meaning that it can last longer.
The reason that this was what the researchers chose
to use was that no matter how hard the sanitizer pump
is to press, the powerful torque of this brand of servo
motor will be able to press it.
When the PIR motion sensor detects the presence of a
hand in front of it, the servo motors will rotate, and
wires connected to the pump will pull the pump
down, effectively pumping it, and then rotate back up
to the default angle, and thus the pump returns into its
original position, ready to be pulled again. Now, as
long as the PIR motion sensor can detect a hand in
front of it, the code for the servos will keep looping,
and it will keep pumping until the hand is removed
from the detection range.
2.4.3 Arduino Mega 2560 Microcontroller
The microcontroller board to be used to house the
codes, the core connections, and the main distributor
of power to the device is the Arduino Mega 2560
Rev3, which is based on the ATMega2560
microcontroller (Arduino Store, n.d.). The Mega
2560 is bigger than the commonly used Arduino Uno
R3. According to the Arduino Store, it is capable of
housing 54 input or output pins, 16 analog input pins,
4 hardware serial ports, and other features that you
would commonly see in the Arduino Uno R3. This
microcontroller is fitted for the device as it can
endure high performance from the multiple
components constantly working while using low
power. It is powerful and capable, and the mass
amount of pin capacity allows customization in the
future.
3. Results and Discussion
3.1 The Level of Acceptability
The responses of those who participated in this
survey are based on a more theoretical,
idea-proposal-based perspective. To put it more
simply, the device was not developed in time for an
actual demonstration to be presented to the
respondents, therefore, the researchers had to resort
to alternative methods of presentation. The
researchers went with creating a visual, a 10-page
PDF (See Figure 3 below) that contains all the
information that the respondents need to know about
the device, how it works, what it is for, and a
theoretical idea of its effectiveness. Although, while
unfortunately this data could be more or less
accurate, it gives the researchers a general idea of the
people’s acceptance of the device if it ever was to be
developed. In addition, the LCD screen that was
attached to the device which was supposed to display
various messages depending on the condition, has a
surface defect that hinders the device to function as
designed, hence, having it to be removed from the
overall prototype.
Figure 4, a-c. Some sample pages from the PDF file
that was given to the respondents where they based
their ratings on

Table 1. Responses and their frequencies from

Section A of the survey

Legend: SN = Statement Number, fR5 = frequency of

a rating of 5, fR4 = frequency of a rating of 4, fR3 =
frequency of a rating of 3, MS = Mean Score

Data analysis through means of central tendency,

specifically, the average or mean scores of the
responses from Section A of the survey indicates that
the device is Very Acceptable. With a mean score of
4.60, in theory, the respondents were very optimistic
with what the device could be. What follows are
comments on the device by the health officers when
asked if they think that the device would be useful in
the current pandemic:
“Yes, since not everyone follows health protocols, it
will be very beneficial for people because it raises
awareness that also leads to everyone's safety. It is
high-tech and it makes people's lives easier.”
“Yes it will eliminate manpower and the job of
physically explaining to people when they should
enter an establishment.”
Table 2. Responses and their frequencies from
Section B of the survey
Legend: SN = Statement Number, fR5 = frequency of
a rating of 5, fR4 = frequency of a rating of 4, fR3 =
frequency of a rating of 3, MS = Mean Score
The device garnered a mean score of 4.64 in Section
B of the survey, which can be interpreted as Very
Acceptable. The respondents perceived the idea of
Janus as being user-friendly. From an idea-based
perspective, the respondents view the proposed
design and functions of Janus as easy to use and
navigate.
Table 3. Responses and their frequencies from
Section C of the survey
Legend: SN = Statement Number, fR5 = frequency of
a rating of 5, fR4 = frequency of a rating of 4, fR3 =
frequency of a rating of 3, MS = Mean Score
For this Section C of the survey, the mean score
garnered from the respondents was at 4.48, which can
be interpreted as Very Acceptable. This indicates that
theoretically, the respondents think that the proposed
device is cost-efficient, and they can get good quality
functions and utility from the device that is well
worth purchasing or producing.
Table 4. Responses and their frequencies from
Section D of the survey
Legend: SN = Statement Number, fR5 = frequency of
a rating of 5, fR4 = frequency of a rating of 4, fR3 =
frequency of a rating of 3, MS = Mean Score
In terms of Janus’ overall aesthetics and design, the
proposed design of the device was rated with a mean
score of 4.61, which can be interpreted as Very
Acceptable. The proposed device, in the eyes of the
respondents, looks aesthetically pleasing and can be
put into an establishment and fits in with the
building’s design or decoration.
Table 5. Tabulated mean scores for each section of
the survey, the mean score for the whole of the
survey, and the standard deviation of the responses
Legend: QS = Questionnaire Section, MS = Mean
Score of Section..., OMS = Overall Mean Score, SD
= Standard Deviation
As a whole, the device has garnered an overall mean
score of 4.59 for the theoretical level of acceptability,
which can be interpreted as Very Acceptable. In
general, the respondents of the survey would most
likely use this device when given the chance. They
have rated its overall functions and utility, aesthetics,
and efficiency, and arrived at the conclusion that it
can be, in fact, very useful for them as business
owners, and had received the approval of health
officers as well.
As for the consistency of the ratings, calculations
show that the standard deviation for the responses of
the survey are at 0.54, meaning that most of the data
points are clustered quite closely around the overall
mean, which is 4.59. This indicates that the responses
were quite consistent and that the respondents were in
general agreement that the device can be useful, even
if it was just presented to them in theory. This
solidifies the interpretation given for the theoretical
level of acceptability of the device.
3.2 The Level of Effectivity and Sensitivity
The tests were done at the home of one of the
researchers, where the device was developed. The
device was subjected to five rounds of testing, with
thorough observation of each of the device’s sensors
to check if the device functions as intended. For the
tests done for these factors, maxval was set at 10
(establishment capacity is set at 10 people). And
since maxval was set at 10, the two sensors on the
capacity monitoring module were set to be tested 10
times, where the sensor had to detect a person passing
through and count them accordingly. For the entrance
sensor, an additional eleventh detection test is added
to check for the device’s monitoring and capability to
alert the person of the establishment’s maximum
capacity protocol. But the eleventh detection will not
be counted, instead, it would signify a successful
round for the sensor. The same method goes for the
hand sanitizer sensor, where the hand sanitizer had to
detect the hand successfully five times, and pump
five times, to consider a round successful.
Table 6. Tabulated test run results for five rounds of
Janus’ modules, indicating the level of effectiveness
of Janus’ functions
Legend: ENS = Entrance Sensor, EXS = Exit Sensor,
HSS = Hand Sanitizer Sensor, %LE = Level of
Effectiveness in Percentage, SUC = Successful
Detections/Run
After five consecutive tests with each of Janus’
modules, the results were outstanding. With the
capacity monitoring module being able to
consistently individualize each person that went
through its entrance and exit sensors, and counting
appropriately and giving a correct response for each
condition, it garnered a 100% (or 10/10, 5 for each
sensor in the module) level of effectiveness when it
comes to maintaining capacity in establishments and
public spaces.
As it was also able to consistently detect the presence
of a hand in its automated hand sanitizer module, and
the servo motors being able to successfully pump an
appropriate amount of sanitizer for each pump done,
the device has also garnered a 100% (or 5/5) level of
effectivity for being able to implement proper hand
hygiene.
Table 7. Tabulated test run results for five rounds of
Janus’ modules, indicating the level of sensitivity of
Janus’ functions and sensors
a,b,c
The values inside the columns indicate the
number of true positive detections for each round
Legend: ENS = Entrance Sensor, EXS = Exit Sensor,
HSS = Hand Sanitizer Sensor, TTPD = Total True
Positive Detections by the sensors
The number of true positive detections is counted for
each detection that occurred during each round. For
each round, there are a total of 25 detections.
The capacity monitoring module was able to
successfully and accurately detect all 100 detections
through its entrance and exit sensors, and as well as
individualize them by counting them all only by 1. In
turn, this signifies a 100% (or 100/100, 50 for each
sensor) level of sensitivity for the capacity
monitoring module, and as such, means that the
module can successfully detect and function without
fail.
The hand sanitizer module was also very successful
in detection. It was able to garner a 100% (or 25/25)
level of sensitivity. It was able to properly detect all
of the intentions to use it without fail, and was also
able to successfully pump the appropriate amount of
sanitizer every time.
4. Conclusion
In the present study, the presentation of the materials,
methods, and the design, and the results of the
development of such a device from various tests and
surveys, have eventually led to the conclusion that
the researchers arrived at. Such a device is simple
enough but presents a great potential for being used
as an automated implementation device that can
reduce the amount of manpower needed to implement
such rules and more effectively implement the
protocols in place, especially during the New
Normal.
The device can run a real-time detection system that
can accurately and consistently count the number of
people that are currently inside an establishment, and
also detect how many people went into and out of the
establishment. This function is especially useful
during the time of the New Normal where social
distancing is one of the core protocols being
implemented to protect the people, and at the same
time, be able to reopen the country’s economic and
business sectors. The device also features a highly
sensitive automated hand sanitizer module that can
ensure that people can use hand sanitizer while being
able to minimize contact with the pump, and in turn,
is able to implement the proper hand hygiene
protocols.
Janus is a reliable device that has the ability to
automate the implementation of minimum health
protocols through modules and systems. Business and
establishment owners agree that this is a kind of
device that should be produced and implemented for
establishments that require people to go into. Janus
also shows great potential for accurate and reliable
and consistent detections that will mitigate the need
of human intervention in the operation of the device.
The device also houses an Arduino Mega 2560
microcontroller, and with this, the device has the
potential to be customized further, and also presents
opportunities in adding more functions or features in
which minimum health protocols it can automate.
Due to multiple extenuating circumstances though,
the accuracy of the data could possibly be
compromised. The researchers recommend repeating
these surveys and tests in a more proper context, and
on a much larger scale, so that the data can have a
more solid foundation. Additionally, the LCD screen
issue must be addressed to achieve the full functions
of the device.
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