Polk State grad aims to revolutionize bathing for patients in care facilities

To honor his late grandmother, Polk State graduate Terrance King has invented a machine intended to revolutionize bathing in nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

King has created the Clean Box – the first autonomous self-bathing machine. The seated capsule comes with 14 scrubbers for a patient’s back, six for the front and 20 water jets that wash users from the neck down. Bathers have free arm movement.

King’s grandmother, Betty Ball, required assistance with daily activities and was living in an assisted living facility when she developed bedsores, also known as pressure ulcers. Caused by prolonged pressure that restricts blood flow to the skin, these wounds can become severe if patients are not repositioned regularly and bathed consistently to keep their skin clean. After her bedsores became infected, Ball passed away in 2021. Her loss inspired King to develop a solution that could help prevent similar tragedies for other families.

“Bathing is one of the caregivers’ hardest jobs,” King explained. “Bedsores are a flesh wound where bacteria affect you from the inside out. I don’t want anyone to endure that again.”

A 2013 graduate of Victory Christian School, King’s invention would have never been possible without the tutelage he received while enrolled in Polk State’s Engineering Technology Program. Housed at the Polk State Clear Spring Advanced Technology Center, King was intrigued by the hands-on instruction and learn-at-your-own-pace approach. He graduated in 2020 with his Associate in Science.

“I learned so much there,” King recalled. “I was able to work at my pace and really learn the ins and outs of design and how these technologies work. Everyone in the program made it interesting for me. I would have never been able to design this otherwise.”

During his time at Polk State, King found a mentor in Engineering Technology Program Director Mori Toosi. While enrolled, King became a member of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), a nonprofit that represents the manufacturing industry in North America and the communities in which they operate.

“Dr. Toosi put me in touch with (SME) which provides extra resources,” King said. “I loved how much the staff at Clear Springs cared about whether you understood the material and how you progressed. They were always welcoming and made me want to keep coming back.”

“Terrance always thought outside the box, which makes it ironic that his product is the Clean Box,” Toosi exclaimed. “He has a strong entrepreneurial mind and always sought to go beyond the textbook. He’s a positive person who works great by himself or in a group setting.”

King briefly attended South Dakota State University where he majored in mechanical engineering. As his grandmother’s condition worsened, however, he returned home to be close to her.

“I want this to become available for everyone who is elderly, disabled or unable to bathe themselves,” King said of his product. “This will help them keep their dignity as well. My ultimate goal is to create a new market and redefine bathing inside facilities.”

In addition to making bathing easier, the Clean Box also saves time and water. According to King’s research, a bath inside an assisted living facility takes about 30 minutes and is one of the more time-consuming duties for staff. His invention takes just 10 minutes.

Just 30 inches wide and equipped with wheels, the product is mobile and can easily fit through doorways. The Clean Box also has a 40-gallon clean and waste water system that can be filled manually or can hook up to a water line. It has customizable settings for things like water temperature, a drying system and comes with a refillable foam soap dispenser inside.

“This is revolutionary,” King exclaimed. “It’s eco-friendly and more efficient in the way it uses water.”

King checked international markets to see if anything similar existed before receiving a provisional patent for the product in October 2022. He received a non-provisional utility patent, which provides 20 years of exclusive rights, in June.

King has also benefited from a pair of incubator programs that have provided workspace, marketing and the opportunity to network with potential investors. His product was one of just four out of 40 companies chosen by the University of Tampa’s Spartan Accelerator and Incubator Program. Florida Atlantic University’s FAU Tech Runway program has also provided resources.

“Being part of these programs really brought the business side about,” King added. “Before that, I was mainly focused on the engineering side and creating the product.”

Earlier this year, The Bridges at Sweet Water in Riverview became the first to inquire about Clean Box. The Bridges at Sweet Water will be among 20 assisted living facilities on hand for King’s first live viewing at the University of Tampa on Aug. 6. King is currently looking for five facilities to be part of his pilot program.

“I’m very proud of him,” Toosi concluded about his former student. “I wish him the best and I would love for him to stay in touch with Polk State and be a mentor for students in this program. That’s just another thing he would be great at.”