Slashdot Mirror
Bacteria-killing Pencil
kahrytan writes "Mounir Laroussi, a researcher at Old Dominion University has invented a hand-held device that is dubbed a plasma pencil. The pencil generates a "cold plasma," which can be used to kill germs that contaminate surfaces, infect wounds and rot your teeth. In the future, it might be used to destroy tumors without damaging surrounding tissue. When he turns the pencil on, it blows a high pitched whistle as a glowing, blue-violet beam about 2 inches long instantly appears at one end. Stick your finger in its path and you only feel a cool breeze, but the beam is powerful enough to blast apart bacteria that's crawling on your skin. Such a device if patented, tested and mass produced could end up doing a lot of good. Disinfecting surgery tools, keeping open wounds open in hospitals, destroying tumors in hard to operate areas like brains, and even treating that simple paper cut. The story can be read at dailypress and old dominion university."
Ah, once more we see the miracle of science. Seriously though, devices like these are excellent news to people with skin problems (like tumors).
Using GNU/Linux -- Windows-free zone!
Such a device if patented, tested and mass produced could end up doing allot of good.
Patents have absolutely nothing to do with whether or not something will do good. The web browser (in and of itself) wasn't patented, and look how it took off. Plugins to web browsers turn out to have been patented, and look at the pain it causes for web authors who have to change their methods for invoking plugins.
No, patents are only good for making sure an "inventor" gets money for their "invention". In this case, a patent is probably warranted, but don't make the mistake of thinking that the patent is what enabled the device to do a lot of good.
LOL!
gOOD POST