Page 7 - Accelerating Research and Impact - Issue 5

Light in the Darkness
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This is Hong Kong’s first community-wide programme using UV disinfection technology. “The germicidal UV-C light is a mature technology for disinfection, but it has no wider application in society. As there is no similar product in the market, we have to design and assemble it ourselves,” said project leader Dr Albert KO, Director of Lingnan Entrepreneurship Initiative (LEI), adding that the device is intended to clean cramped subdivided flats with poor hygiene conditions, where the “virus killing” is a primary concern. The device is light in weight to be carried up buildings without using elevators and equipped with a remote on/off switch and motion sensor to ensure that the UV-C lamp automatically shuts down if people enter the premises by mistake - an extra safety measure.
A UV-C lamp with a wavelength of 253.7nm that can be found in a conventional biological science laboratory is used as the blueprint. Scientific research shows that UV light can effectively kill 95% of viruses, bacteria and fungi, preventing the spread of pathogens through the air or on the surface of objects. The mobile protection device, portable stand, intelligent sensors, remote control app, and the household power supply of the UV-C system have been designed and assembled by Lingnan. It takes less than 30 minutes to complete the whole house disinfection process.