Lights that can kill viruses

Germicidal lights UV-C are currently being created by Brightgreen in an effort to kill off the COVID-19 virus.

“UV-C is well established in medical practice as a way to eradicate viruses. The challenge is to keep it safe and economical,” said Brightgreen’s Head of Engineering, Nathan Moffat.

As UV-C rays have the potential be harmful to humans, the Brightgreen system has implemented presence monitors, meaning that disinfection cannot begin until the room is empty. The smart technology detects all presences, whether a person is moving or simply sleeping in the room.

The company is in the final stages of engineering these lights, which will have dual light spectrums. This will enable the lights to be switched between standard visual lighting and germicidal rays. The system will be fully automated to run overnight for a full disinfection with shorter daytime options when the space is empty.

“We will make the designs for this system open source, so other manufacturers can tool up to increase the speed to market with this high-impact system,” said Brightgreen CEO David O’Driscoll.

Given that there is no clear indication of how long the COVID-19 pandemic will last, sustainable solutions to work around it may have great potential in the meantime.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/James Thew