UV-C light recommended to disinfect delicate VR headsets

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, finding a product to recommend as an approved means for disinfecting its newest VR headsets became a priority for HP, leading to a research project between HP and UV-C disinfection business Uvisan.

HP carried out a series of rigorous tests using Uvisan’s UV-C disinfecting cabinets as an alternative to standard chemicals and disinfectant wipes. Tests were carried out on both new and existing HP appliances, simulating two years of daily UV-C use on the headsets, to determine whether there were any negative impacts of UV-C exposure on the items. The tests examined appearance, functionality and any mechanical or structural deterioration over a three-month testing period.

Following the tests, the UV-C light is recommended as the only disinfection method for HP’s VR headsets and Uvisan is recommended as a supplier. Other cleaning procedures, such as the use of alcohol or disinfectant wipes, can damage the lenses and sensitive optical and sensor surfaces, as the chemicals contained in the wipes can cause damage, and the wiping action itself can also cause damage to surfaces.

David Marks, Chairman of Uvisan, said: “This recommendation from HP, a highly-regarded tech giant, adds weight to our assertion that UV-C is the gold standard of disinfection in today’s Covid environment for almost any touched and shared items, particularly sensitive and valuable electronic equipment. It is far more effective and time efficient than using wipes, ultimately saving time and money and limiting waste sent to landfills.

“Our easy-to-use UV-C cabinets require no liquids or chemicals that cause damage to delicate technology, and the testing done with HP illustrates that UV-C exposure is completely safe for a wide range of appliances. The cabinets can quickly and thoroughly disinfect handheld hardware, including phones, laptops, tablets, headsets and many more with a five-minute cleaning cycle that kills 99.99% of bacteria and viruses using medical grade lamps. For example, Uvisan’s cabinets allow simultaneous disinfection and electrical charging of up to 36 VR headsets or 70 tablets in 5 minutes. Our cabinets are lockable to ensure high value items are protected and built-in wheels allow for flexible deployment.

“With the Uvisan cabinet, businesses that rely on shared VR headsets can guarantee quick and effective turnaround of their headsets so that each user has a pristine headset. This avoids the need to invest in extra headsets and reduces the downtime in between uses. We expect UV-C disinfection to become the standard and best-recommended approach for more hardware manufacturers and retailers in the coming months.”

Following the thorough testing, HP has recommended Uvisan for disinfecting its range of HMD, VR and mixed reality headsets, as UVC light does not cause damage to equipment as can occur with alcohol/disinfectant wipes. Uvisan is recommended by HP for the following: HP WMR Headset, HP Reverb G1 VR Headset, HP Reverb G2 VR Headset, HP Reverb G2 Omnicept Edition).

Uvisan cabinets are already being used by a number of organisations across multiple industries, including universities, offices, creative/production studios, schools, distribution centres, commercial cleaning companies, and waste management companies. With many different types of handheld and portable electronic devices being disinfected, from laptops, tablets, headsets, hard drives, tools, handheld scanners and other shared technology.