USC students develop hand sanitizer that also takes your temperature

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Two USC students and Southern California natives are helping curb the spread of COVID-19. They created a high-tech sanitizer dispenser and it's now being sold across the Southland.

Hand sanitizer is now one of the most sought after products, as millions try to protect themselves from the coronavirus. USC students Troy Bonde and Winston Alfieri recognized the need and started their own company NextPace Ventures. They've teamed up with a designer to sell and distribute state of the art hand sanitizer dispensers.

"It allows a user to take their temperature and simultaneously sanitize their hands," said Bonde.

It's called the thermo-sanitizer: a two in one hand sanitizer dispenser with a built in infrared thermometer. The best friends and San Gabriel Valley natives have sold 1,800 units across the Southland.

"Unfortunately it looks like there's not much of an end in sight so we're going to keep doing what we're doing and hopefully we're keeping people safe," said Bonde.

These thermo-sanitizers are already in 400 schools, as well as businesses and non-profit organizations.

"I think everyone's sick of just being at home and sitting there and doing nothing. So I think it's beneficial we're doing something to help the community and help this process of getting back into schools and getting back into our college careers," said Alfieri.

School leaders like Anthony Millican from the Chula Vista Elementary School District say devices like these are essential in bringing "normal" back in 2021.

"It really helps us. We researched it quite a bit. And it's part of our getting ready for school preparation. It's really part of our pandemic response," said Millican.

The company will be donating 500 gallons of hand sanitizer to local organizations.