Touchscreen Sanitizing System with UV Perimeter and Presence Sensor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Shared touchscreen displays in retail and healthcare settings are frequently contaminated with infectious pathogens due to infrequent cleaning, posing a risk of transmission as they are impractical to clean frequently enough to maintain low contamination levels.
Innovation Solution
A sanitizing system for touchscreen monitors incorporating ultraviolet light sources positioned around the perimeter, which are activated only during periods of inactivity and turned off when the screen is in use, using sensors such as infrared or motion detectors to ensure safe and effective pathogen elimination without direct exposure to users.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If UV light sources are continuously activated to sanitize the touchscreen, then pathogen elimination is improved, but user safety deteriorates due to direct exposure risk
Solution Approach 1:
The UV light sources are activated in periodic cycles rather than continuously. The controller activates UV sources during detected periods of inactivity and deactivates them when user presence is detected, creating alternating periods of sanitization and user safety that resolve the contradiction between pathogen elimination and user protection
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses motion sensors and proximity sensors to provide real-time feedback about user presence to the controller. This feedback loop enables the controller to dynamically adjust UV light activation, turning UV on when no users are present and off when users approach or touch the screen, thus maintaining both sanitization effectiveness and user safety
2Reliability
If frequent manual cleaning is performed to reduce contamination, then pathogen levels are reduced, but operational efficiency deteriorates due to interruption of service
Solution Approach 1:
The touchscreen monitor performs self-sanitization through integrated UV light sources that are activated automatically by the controller during periods of inactivity. This self-service capability eliminates the need for manual cleaning interventions, maintaining low pathogen levels without interrupting operational service and thus resolving the contradiction between contamination control and operational efficiency
3Reliability
If UV light intensity is increased to improve sanitization effectiveness, then pathogen kill rate is improved, but harmful effects increase due to greater exposure risk
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic activation of UV light sources at controlled intensity levels during brief intervals of detected inactivity. This approach delivers sufficient UV dosage for pathogen elimination while limiting total exposure time and intensity, thus achieving effective sanitization without proportionally increasing harmful exposure risks
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system maintains a continuous low-level UVC light exposure to kill pathogens on the touchscreen surface during inactivity, significantly reducing the risk of infectious disease transmission while ensuring user safety by disabling the UV light during use, thus achieving effective sanitization without compromising safety.
Implementation Method 1
an ultraviolet light source positioned about a periphery of the monitor and configured to transmit light toward the monitor
Implementation Method 2
the sensor is in the form of an infrared light transmitter and receiver positioned on opposite sides of the monitor to detect an object in the path between the transmitter and receiver
Data Source
AI summary
A sanitizing system for use with monitors, particularly including touchscreen monitors, includes an ultraviolet light source positioned about a periphery of the monitor and configured to transmit light toward the monitor. A sensor detects the presence of an object such as a human finger in the close vicinity or in contact with the monitor in order to stop the operation of the lights.