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Shining the (UVC) light on COVID-19 RELATED ARTICLES

Marie Donlon | February 26, 2021
Among the number of solutions to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure that some semblance of Scientists in Ireland develop UVC
normal life would go on — be it through contactless technologies, social distancing gadgets and a variety of light-emitting drone to disinfect
coatings to protect surfaces, to name just a few — many are now incorporating ultraviolet (UV) light for its surfaces amid the pandemic
virus and bacteria killing properties.
Watch: UVC system designed to
sterilize thousands of masks daily
Recent studies have confirmed that specifically, UVC light, which is UV light in the 100 nm to 280 nm range,
can destroy bacteria and viruses including SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19. Considered UVC irradiation shown to deactivate
coronavirus on surfaces
particularly effective in the 200 nm to 280 nm range against viruses and germs, UVC light damages the
molecules necessary for viruses to survive. As such, it has been eyed for and subsequently incorporated into Team attempting to use components
a number of solutions for combating COVID-19. from Blue-ray discs to kill viruses like
COVID-19

Following is a summary of the UVC light solutions to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic. Airplane cleaning robot helps assist
in disinfecting germs
UVC light-emitting bots
Because the risk of illness and even death is considerable with the COVID-19 virus, it seems only natural
that solutions for sanitizing public spaces would be automated. Joining the legion of robots to emerge in the
fight against the global pandemic includes a number of robots equipped with germ-fighting UVC light.
 Disinfecting Spaces Using Robots News & Analysis Search News & Analysis

MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) has created a robotic system that
disinfects surfaces and neutralizes aerosolized coronavirus particles using a UVC light fixture that is
incorporated into an Ava Robotics’ mobile robot base.

The UVC array relies on short-wavelength UVC light to kill microorganisms, disrupting their DNA via a
process known as UV germicidal irradiation.

Another robot, dubbed the GermFalcon from Dimer UVC Innovations, was designed to disinfect airplane
cabins also using UVC light to inactivate viruses and bacteria on high-risk surfaces and in the air.

Meanwhile, researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have also constructed an

autonomous UV disinfecting robot that will hasten the return of workers to the office and commuters to mass
transit following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The so-called UVBot features a UV lamp, a Roomba vacuum cleaner and 3D-printed parts that attach the UV
lamp to the Roomba.

According to its developers, the UVBot can be programmed to autonomously sanitize high-risk surfaces
using UVC light.

Finally, LG Electronics also developed a disinfecting robot that eliminates germs and bacteria via UVC light.
 The LG autonomous UV robot sanitizes high traffic public spaces, such as
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those found in the hospitality, Search
education, retail, News & Analysis
restaurant and transportation
sectors as well as office settings.

UVC light-treated masks

Scientists from New York’s Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) are exploring
the use of UVC light to sterilize personal protective equipment (PPE) used by
those on the front lines in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic. According
to the RPI scientists, thousands of face masks can be disinfected daily using
UVC light to help fill the shortage of PPE supplies that plagued hospitals in the
early days of the pandemic.
University of Illinois Urbana-
Champaign

Unique System for Using UVC Light to Sterilize Masks in Bu…

Bu…

According to RPI, the disinfection device features two UVC lamp fixtures attached vertically at opposing ends
of an 8 ft2 enclosure. A motorized conveyor pulls used masks through the enclosure and between the bulbs,
exposing the used masks to a UVC light treatment.

UVC light-emitting drone

Scientists from the National University of Ireland Galway’s Health Innovation via Engineering (HIVE) lab
developed a UVC-emitting drone, aptly named UVC Drone, which sterilizes surfaces in public places via
UVC light.
 The drone has been employed in sterilizing high
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risk public spaces News & restaurants,
including Analysis hospital
wards, shopping centers and airports with rays
from the UVC band of UV light, emitting high
frequency, short wavelength bursts of radiation
imperceptible to the human eye. Those rays are
emitted over predetermined locations and at
predetermined times — generally at night and
when the space is unoccupied.

National University of Ireland Galway’s Health Innovation. Source:

Engineering (HIVE) lab UVC light-emitting Blu-ray
discs
A team from the University of California, Irvine has found another potential use case for Blu-ray digital video
discs: recovering diodes from those discs and turning them into deep UV laser photon sources to quickly
disinfect surfaces and indoor air.

According to the research team, the UV laser photon sources could potentially be incorporated into masks,
disinfecting the air that is both inhaled and exhaled by the wearer; built into air circulation ducts in buildings,
disinfecting the air flowing through these systems; included in hand-held devices to treat surfaces; or
transformed into light curtains that people pass through.

UVC light handrails

A UVC light device that continuously sanitizes handrails is being incorporated into escalators throughout the
London Underground to restore confidence in mass transit amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
 UV handrail sanitising units on TubeNews & Analysis
escalators Search
- safe and c… News & Analysis
c…

Once incorporated, the device’s UVC light-bulb is triggered by the movement of the escalator handrails. As
the handrails move, UVC light continuously sanitizes the handrail surfaces, which pose a significant risk for
COVID-19 transmission. According to reports, the UVC device improves sanitation efforts by 50%.

A UVC light-emitting appliance for the home

A company with ties to Nanyang Technological University in Singapore has created a bladeless fan that cools
a room down while also disinfecting the air in that same enclosed space.

Bladeless ceiling fan by NTU scientists speeds up cooling …

The vortex ceiling fan, which is called Vortec, is a combined ceiling fan and LED lamp that draws air up from
the lower regions of a room and exposes it to a UVC Newslight
& Analysis Search
for disinfection News the
and forces & Analysis
recycled air out in a
360° arc. According to its developers, the Vortec’s UVC light kills viruses, including COVID-19, in the
enclosed space.

This is just a sampling of the UVC-light enhanced technologies being used to fight COVID-19. Check back
with Engineering360 for more technological solutions being used to fight the virus.

To contact the author of this article, email donlon@globalspec.com

Discussion – 8 comments Powered by CR4, the Engineering Community

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Re: Shining the (UVC) light on COVID-19

Brave Sir Robin #1
2021-Feb-26 10:36 PM
Get out the vaccines and we don't have to worry about any of this.

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Re: Shining the (UVC) light on COVID-19

cummings r and d #2
2021-Feb-27 1:40 AM In reply to #1
253.7 nm kills this virus and other bacteria but you have to also have proper mw/cm this is the power
needed in each event 190nm creates ozone or o3

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Re: Shining the (UVC) light on COVID-19

cummings r and d #5
2021-Feb-28 5:22 PM In reply to #2
220 nm creates ozone which is harmful to people, the range is 250 to 265 nm is the most effective
at destroying the dna,rna of these viruses in which these ranges are harmful to people but can be
used to decontamination areas without the worry of photoreactivation a simple formula to use is
d=it
 Reply Report!
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Re: Shining the (UVC) light on COVID-19
Anonymous Poster #1 #3
2021-Feb-27 9:19 AM
The potential damage to skin and eyes was not mentioned in this article. UVC light cannot be used
with humans present.

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Re: Shining the (UVC) light on COVID-19

pfridays #4
2021-Feb-27 4:17 PM In reply to #3
UVC in the 222nm wavelength has been repeatedly shown to be harmless to humans and deadly to
SARS virus variants in seconds and should have been massively pushed forward months ago. The
most common UVC @ 254nm will kill the virus but IS harmful to humans. Why the 222nm variant is
being ignored boggles my mind.

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Re: Shining the (UVC) light on COVID-19

Zayn #6
2021-Mar-01 4:45 AM In reply to #4
Actually, I am in UV industry, although a lot of reports and news show that 222nm uvc light is
harmless for human body, it still cause people uncomfortable, such as headaches, dry eyes,
etc.when people receive 22mj/day(also has been recognized by Ushio, the famous manufacturer
of 222nm uvc lamp in USA and has been reacted by our customers). So a lot of manufacturers
develop a new version of 222nm uvc lamp with a automatic-switch mode to make sure people will
not receive 22mj/day.

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Re: Shining the (UVC) light on COVID-19

Anonymous Poster #1 #7
2021-Mar-01 9:16 AM In reply to #6
I have read that FAR UVC can destroy harmful viruses and bacteria, AND is safe for humans
and animals. Why is far UVC not available for use yet?

Reply Report!
 Re: Shining the (UVC) light on COVID-19
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Brave Sir Robin #8
2021-Mar-01 2:27 PM In reply to #7
Sometimes we have to be careful what we wish for. We might get it.

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