With the country’s hospitals and care homes struggling in the grip of a superbug crisis, a recent study has revealed that a UK-developed UV light robot, the THOR UVC ®, which could spell the end of this catastrophe, saving money and lives.
Superbugs have evolved during a ‘post-antibiotic apocalypse in which bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites have mutated to become untreatable. Cleaning to the extent required to eradicate them has become almost impossible; traditional cleaning techniques kill just 50% of the bugs responsible for the Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI) which cause 30,000 deaths and cost the NHS alone a staggering £1 billion each year.
UK company, Finsen Technologies (http://www.finsentech.com), have developed and manufacture THOR UVC ® – a robot that uses UV light to kill 100% of known superbugs in just minutes.
Finsen Technologies products focus on quickly and efficiently killing bugs in medical environments. The THOR UVC ® robot is superior to its rivals as it senses its surroundings, maps the room, and even reports back when the work is complete. A study of the robot’s efficacy concludes that, irrespective of cleaning time, THOR UVC ® killed more than 99% of the MSSA bacteria exposed to it.
A US study release in March 2018 entitled, ‘The effect of ultraviolet-C technology on viral infection incidence in a paediatric long-term care facility’ showed that Ultraviolet-C (UV-C) technology implementation was associated with a 44% reduction in viral. The results suggest that UV-C technology is a potentially important component of eliminating the environment as a source of viral infections. The product is portable so it can be used wherever infections may be found.
Previous UV-C light technology has used lower levels of light than THOR UVC ® resulting in a longer, less efficient, process. The high level of UV-C light produced by second-generation THOR UVC ® is critical in killing the new strains of superbug. Its reach is higher than its predecessors, obliterating bugs from floor to ceiling, while ensuring even those hiding in shadowed areas don’t get missed. The robot disinfects a 360-degree area – irrespective of obstacles – and senses clutter and shadows, ensuring effective doses in all areas.
A newer release from Finsen Technologies is the Nanoclave Cabinet, a high powered UVC cupboard that decontaminates highly used patient objects such as medical electronic and monitoring devices in as little as 60 seconds. The unique patent-protected Nanoclave was recently recognised in a Telegraph feature entitled 70 Ideas to Save the NHS. Medical devices used on patients can pose a potential risk for passing on nasty bugs and microorganisms to the next patient or staff member
On June 1st Finsen technologies won the New Exporter of the Year category at the Cambridgeshire Chamber of Commerce Global Awards ceremony. The award recognises the success Finsen Technologies has had in exporting to a total of fifteen markets, including the USA, Australia, Austria and Italy, as well as having recently secured a valuable contract at a significant MOH Public Hospital in Sharjah. In July following a national tender award a major public Hospital in Hungary Szabolcs-Szatmár Bereg Megyei Kórház, Nyíregyháza had its first delivery and installation of THOR UVC ®
