Disinfection Technology/Methods for Computer Equipment?

smammon asks: "I manage the IT department for a pretty average hospital. Our equipment is used everywhere, including the patient rooms, operating suites, and hallways. We expect it to move into more areas (hands) in the future with advent of more and more wireless/handheld technology. Our problem is that even with constant employee education and regular maintenance/cleaning efforts on our part - it is still very common for equipment to become contaminated with all manner of nasty goo. We have been looking for a method of disinfection that kills the bugs without killing the equipment. So far the only reasonably good looking alternative is vaporized hydrogen peroxide. Problem is that it's not known to positively kill the kind of tough bug that lives on surfaces. Anyone know of, developing, or selling a method for disinfection of sensitive equipment? Any innovative solutions from the geek collective?"

Comments

Hulk jokes aside...

[Otter]

...would gamma irradiation work? Normally that would be perfect for non-destructive sterilization (and you may already have the equipment) but I have no idea what it would do to microelectronics.

Re:Hulk jokes aside...

[crmartin]

Sadly, if there's anything like a PLA or EEPROM inside, you're hosed. I went through this for just *months* some time ago, when trying to figure out why a simple little box would work in the lab at my company, but not in the field. The answer was that the box was getting x-rayed in transit, causing the EEPROM to get random extra bits....

Goo?

[GuyMannDude]

Our problem is that even with constant employee education and regular maintenance/cleaning efforts on our part - it is still very common for equipment to become contaminated with all manner of nasty goo.

Actually, a lot of people who use their computers in the privacy of their own homes for, uh, recreational purposes have the same problem. You'll probably get lots of helpful ideas from the slashdot crowd!

GMD

Something anhydrous, naturally

[dacarr]

There is mention of drunk mouse syndrome, wherein a declared alcoholic mouse (yes, see the link) was sent to be "dried out in a CFC ultrasonic bath". As I understand it, this is not dissimilar to the anhydrous dips that they used to dunk crufty keyboards into to clean them as well.

To wit, while this may not totally *disinfect* your gear, this will most certainly decruft it.

Plastic

[Henry V .009]

Wrap up everything with plastic. Switch out the plastic.
/low-budget

Bad keyboard? Throw it away!

[Micro$will]

Keep the computers and monitors in goo proof cases, and maintain a supply of disposable keyboards and mice. Keyboards and mice can be had for less than $10 retail, and much less than that online or wholesale. The other alternative is those $40 waterproof keyboards. I don't know of any waterproof pointing devices though. Perhaps some industrial strength touchpads?

Real Problem is several problems

[MountainLogic]

You need to both kill bugs AND remove the goo. The standard way to quash the bugs is either heat, radiation or chemical. With Ethylene Oxide (these links too) being common for many medical devices.

You need to select devices that can be hosed down. That means comercial devices that almost meet NEMA 4. The only way to get rid of goo is soap and water. Retail devies are just not ment for a medical environment. And you must get rid of the goo BEFORE you sterilize. That goo can carry pirons (sp?) even after EtO so plan for soap and water. There are sources of ruggedized tools such as Symbol Technologies. You are going to pay more, but you have a responsability to do it right.

Go to a medical or engineering school and ask for their Bioengineering department and ask for help. This is way over the head of /.

Google??

[linuxwrangler]

I hate to use the so often used refrain in "ask Slashdot" questions but Try Google (tm).

The thing you are most concerned with is the input device - everything else can be in a sealed box so type into Google "industrial keyboards" and hunt to your heart's content.

You might, for example, discover on the first page of returns the MGR Keymate 2 which is "a sealed keyboard featuring a smooth membrane ideal for food and beverage and medical applications where wash down / sterilization is needed." (emphasis mine).

You may even discover that many of these keyboards are rated for use in explosive environments, say where you have things like ether, oxygen and alcohol though I can't possibly think of such a place at the moment.