Opening the door knob of a public restroom using hands may not be very hygienic. An idea of a mechanism through which a door can be opened by activating a sensor using a leg. While this mechanism is most useful in public toilets, it can also be used elsewhere and may beuseful for the physically disabled or someone carrying load in both hands.

TanmayTakale, who aims at pursuing engineering from an IIT, too developed the idea of a foot-operated door mechanism after being concerned about hygiene.
“My friends and I had gone for a movie and while using the washroom, we saw that there were many people who left the washroom without washing their hands. So, even if I wash my hand, I would still be opening the door which has been touched by somebody who has not washed his hands. This made me think of a hands-free door mechanism, where the door handle can be built in a way that the user can open the door with his foot and thus, avoid germs,” says Tanmay.