Typically, medical equipment is sterilized using pressurized steam or gas, both of which are unusable for medical devices with electronic components. The new cleaning method, developed by researchers from New York-based Weill Cornell Medicine, uses a cold plasma system that is safe for disinfecting electronics and requires only air, hydrogen peroxide and a power source.
Phones treated for five minutes using the technology reflected a 93 percent reduction in bacteria, according to the study. Devices that underwent a10-minute disinfection were completely bacteria-free.
The researchers are planning to test the device’s cold plasma disinfection technology on medical devices such as tablets, medical monitors, laptops and other hospital-based electronics. The device is currently available on a limited commercial basis in the U.S. and is pending approval from the Food and Drug Administration.
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