The Philips UV-C Disinfection Desk Lamp inactivates microbial pathogens within minutes, providing an effective and practical way to disinfect our households.
Microwaves, visible light, and X-rays are all familiar forms of electromagnetic radiation. They heat up our food, enable things to be seen, and allow us to assess the inside of our bodies. Over the course of history, we have learnt how to manipulate these electromagnetic waves to make our lives better and easier.
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation that is emitted by the sun and artificial sources. Of the three primary types—UV-A, B, and C—UV-C has long been known to possess germicidal properties as its shorter wavelength causes DNA and RNA damage, inactivating pathogens like SARS-CoV-2.
UV-C technology is increasingly being utilised as a reliable disinfection system to eradicate both airborne viruses and contaminated surfaces. As the world moves towards COVID-19 endemicity and gears up for Disease X, could UV-C technology be the answer to protecting our households from SARS-CoV-2 and other pathogens?
Philips, a leading health technology company with over 35 years of experience in UV-C lighting, has developed a UV-C disinfection desk lamp that effectively deactivates bacteria, moulds, spores, and viruses in a matter of minutes.
The lamp may be placed in your bedroom, kitchen, or living room, preferably in the centre of the room for maximum exposure. This easy-to-use device comes with only two buttons, a power button and a timer button to toggle the working minutes. With only three settings (15-min, 30-min, and 45-min), users may easily choose between these fixed durations according to the room they are disinfecting.
While UV-C light is an effective tool for disinfection, it should be known that just like UV-A and UV-B from the Sun, UV-C is harmful to the eyes and skin, so no person or animal should be present in the room at the time of usage. The lamp will only light up after 30 seconds if no motion is detected in the area. Hence, the best time to use this product would be just as you are leaving your home.
However, if you have pets at home that may unknowingly enter the disinfection zone, the device has a built-in safety sensor that will power off when it detects movement from animals or humans. This is in line with the National Environment Agency (NEA)’s recommendation of having motion sensors as a safety feature to prevent accidental exposure to UV.
Overall, the use of this product is straightforward with its simple interface and its built-in voice guide helps ease the first-time user into the product. However, the voice may grow tiresome over time as users get acquainted with the device; a mute function might be worth considering.
While there are many alternative disinfection technologies out there, like cleaning agents and anti-microbial surface coatings, these approaches require a thorough application over all surfaces and can be affected by many unpredictable factors (e.g. mixing some antimicrobial agents with organic matter like soil or blood reduces its effectiveness), making it impractical for household use. Furthermore, such antimicrobial agents are known to cause lung irritation and can contribute to breathing problems.
Though UV-C technology carries its own share of risks, the Philips UV-C disinfection desk lamp has addressed that concern with its motion sensor safety feature, making this product an effective and reliable product for home use. [APBN]