This archive report was first published on 18 June 2020.
On June 18, 2020, Samsung launched a Hand Wash application for wearable users to help people get into the habit of properly washing their hands.
According to a 2015 study by the University of New South Wales, people touch their face 23 times an hour on average, with 10 of those touches being to the eyes, nose, or mouth – the main pathways for bacterial or viral infection.
The American Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) calls hand washing a 'do-it-yourself' vaccine, and the United Nations (UN) has designated October 15 as Global Handwashing Day since 2008.
Setting the Standard for Hand Washing ¶
While awareness of the importance of washing hands frequently and thoroughly has increased, opinions differ on what 'frequently and thoroughly' means in practice.
The Hand Wash app provides a clear guide on how and how regularly users should wash their hands, helping them to remember to wash their hands at regularly scheduled intervals throughout the day.
Establishing Your Routine ¶
A 2020 study by University College London found that handwashing 6-10 times a day was linked to a lowered infection risk.
The Hand Wash app includes an alarm function, allowing users to set reminders to wash their hands at regular intervals, with the number of alarms corresponding to a target number on the app's dashboard.
Washing Your Hands Thoroughly & Properly ¶
The World Health Organization recommends washing hands for at least 20 seconds, roughly the time it takes to sing the 'Happy Birthday' song twice.
The Hand Wash app's countdown function provides a 25-second timer, including 5 seconds for applying soap and 20 seconds for scrubbing, with haptic feedback and graphics to help users wash their hands properly.
Keeping Track of Your Personal Hygiene ¶
Users can easily keep track of how long it has been since they last washed their hands, as well as review their daily handwashing target number and how many times they have washed their hands so far in a day.
Monitoring Progress on a Weekly Basis ¶
The Hand Wash Trend Tracking function logs each day's handwashing occurrences and provides a weekly average, helping users build their handwashing habit.
Follow the 6 Steps of Handwashing ¶
When washing hands, users should not only scrub their palms but also the areas in between the fingers and the backs of the hands, following the 6 steps of handwashing for effective prevention of the spread of germs.
