It doesn't take a complete germaphobe for subway and bus handles to cause a bit of queasiness, as most public transportation users are at least mildly apprehensive about the microbes that are crawling all over those continuously touched surfaces. The ITRI-UV Handrail would let you breathe a sigh of relief since it's been designed to clean itself between and during each use. This is the innovative idea of Kai-Yu Wu, Cheng-Ta Chiang, Rih-Kuei Fan and Hao-Shiang Min.
An ultraviolet lamp in the handgrip zaps bacteria and viruses so that the next passenger to touch it will remain unaffected by the dirt on the previous person's fingers. Now, overcrowding and jerky rides require the use of other poles as well so the ITRI-UV Handrail system would incorporate the use of an antibiotic coating elsewhere.
What's Driving This Trend
- Self-cleaning Handles
- There is potential for other industries to incorporate self-cleaning technology in frequently touched surfaces.
- UV Disinfection
- The use of UV lamps for disinfection can be applied to other products and surfaces beyond public transportation handles.
- Antibacterial Coating
- There is an opportunity for the development of new antibacterial coatings to be used in high traffic areas beyond public transportation.
Who This Affects Most
- Public Transportation
- There is a potential for public transportation companies to incorporate the self-cleaning technology into other areas of their vehicles.
- Healthcare
- There is potential for the healthcare industry to use UV lamps for disinfection in hospitals and other facilities to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
- Hospitality
- The hospitality industry can benefit from the use of antibacterial coating in frequently touched surfaces such as door handles and elevator buttons.
