Ebola pathogen killing robots being rolled out into a hospital near you (via Xenex)
With the recent Ebola outbreaks and widespread fear one company is capitalizing on their invention of a germ-zapping robots. Created by Xenexthese new Xenex robots are now being used in over 250 hospitals in the USA and the San Antonio company is trying to get the robots shipped to Africa to kill Ebola germs there. Xenex is also trying to secure contracts with airlines to have germ-zapping robots used on planes that may transport infected passengers.
These germ-zapping robots work by blasting germs and pathogens with UV-C light. UV-A and UV-B light is what we experience on earth as it filters through the atmosphere. However, UV-C light is deflected by the ozone layer, and rightfully so, as it is potentially lethal.
Zapping germs and viruses with UV light has been a treatment for a while but the old method was highly dangerous to humans. Old disinfecting UV lights used mercury to issue death rays to germs, however, these were also lethal to humans.
The UV lights Xenex employs use xenon gas to produce UV-C light, which is 25,000 times stronger than the light UV light produced by the sun. Hence, the light is very effective at killing the Ebola virus as well as other germs by damaging their DNA. So, Xenex has these virus killing robots running around hospitals zapping patient rooms and hallways for 5 minutes at a time which is enough to kill all germs. to including thosehiding behind the cupboard, according to Xenex representatives, (Although that seems far fetched). This may enable Ebola outbreaks to dwindle, or at least become manageable, but should probably be used in conjunction with other cleansing methods, like liquid bleach.
Each of these germ-zapping robots is supposed to cost $115,000. That's a pretty penny for some to pay, but Xenex is appealing to the US Department of Defense to use these robots as a method of preventing further outbreaks. The Ebola outbreaks continue to spread globally and, as travel bans have been deemed unsuitable in the long-run by Press Secretary Josh Earnest, greater disinfection efforts may be the best bet to keep Ebola at bay.
Currently, there is no cure for Ebola and the only real treatment option is prevention. Doctors are working on a drug that will allow Ebola victims to live longer while other treatments are developed, but this is still not fully formed and in use.
The perk to using Ebola-bots is that it reduces the need for hospital personnel to disinfect large areas, which increases their risk of contracting Ebola themselves. If Ebola continues to rise, instead of fall, then Ebola-bots could be everywhere, zapping the virus in cities and towns before it reaches more critical levels. For now, the Xenex germ-zapping robots will continue to be used in US hospitals for the time being. Hopefully they'll make a difference in reducing the number of Ebola victims..
C
See more news at:
Top Comments