FDA Approves Self-Sanitizing Keyboard

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FDA Approves Self-Sanitizing Keyboard

Posted by samzenpus on Wednesday January 4, 2012 @05:28PM from the clean-zone dept.

jfruhlinger writes "Deep down, most people know that the germiest thing they touch all day is the thing they're touching all day: their keyboard. But what, if anything, can be done about it? A couple of former Microsoft hardware guys have launched a keyboard that sterilizes itself via ultraviolet light. While the FDA has signed off on it, tests show that the UV only kills about two-thirds of the germs living in it, and that it still needs to be cleaned by hand."

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Can't wait to see... by doug141 · 2012-01-04 17:32 · Score: 4, Insightful

the UV tolerant bugs evolving on this thing.
1. Re:Can't wait to see... by Jake73 · 2012-01-04 17:41 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  Why use UV? Why not build a waterproof keyboard that gets sprayed with a disinfectant each time it is retracted? It could be quickly dried and the disinfectant recycled.
  For a lower-cost keyboard, I could see UV being an advantage. But for $900, you could do much better.
2. Re:Can't wait to see... by plover · 2012-01-04 17:42 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  That which doesn't kill me makes me stronger. Of course, that which doesn't kill the bugs makes them stronger, too. So will the stronger bugs will make me ever more disease resistant, or just kill me?
  
  --
  John
3. Re:Can't wait to see... by SEWilco · 2012-01-04 17:45 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  That which doesn't kill me makes me stronger. Of course, that which doesn't kill the bugs makes them stronger, too. So will the stronger bugs will make me ever more disease resistant, or just kill me?
  They'll first have to get through your tanned and leathery hands.
4. Re:Can't wait to see... by SpazmodeusG · 2012-01-04 17:47 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  Just make it with the same antibacterial metal that door handles in hospitals are made from. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antimicrobial_copper-alloy_touch_surfaces
  Seems to be a tried and testing technology that works well.
5. Re:Can't wait to see... by milkmage · 2012-01-04 18:11 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  waterproof, sealed, dishwasher safe, antimicrobial keyboards.
  http://www.sealshield.com/
  $149 with a touchpad vs. $900 because it comes with lights?
6. Re:Can't wait to see... by aaronb1138 · 2012-01-04 18:11 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  That is exactly what I was thinking. All metals have significant antibacterial properties in pure form due to electron freedom. Stainless steel is similarly naturally antimicrobial.
  Since they are using UV, I hope they had the good sense to use a titanium dioxide finish on it as well, since that massively boosts UV efficacy. Actually titanium dioxide has the ability to actually clean small quantities of finger grease and dirt from the surface as well.
  The best approach would use a micro spattering of TiO2 (think polka dots smaller than most bacteria) on stainless steel or copper alloys with waterproof keys and construction. Once a month, throw it in the commissary dishwasher to remove dirt and grease which give the little germs homes.
  As others have pointed out, the price for this model is ridiculous as well.
7. Re:Can't wait to see... by johnny+cashed · 2012-01-04 18:49 · Score: 2
  
  Or, for added bling, silver plating. Perfect for Apple products!
8. Re:Can't wait to see... by amRadioHed · 2012-01-04 19:20 · Score: 2
  
  The sun puts out of lot of UV, but the UVC which is used as a germicide is almost entirely blocked by the atmosphere.
  
  --
  We hope your rules and wisdom choke you / Now we are one in everlasting peace
9. Re:Can't wait to see... by Yev000 · 2012-01-04 19:38 · Score: 2
  
  And only UV-A reaches earth and gives you sun burn.
  The Earth's ozone layer blocks 99% UV. Of that, 99% is UVA.
  Its the UV-B (0.001% of UV that hits earth and reaches the surface) that causes damage on a molecular level. This is bad for big molecules like DNA.
  Cells already evolved a repair mechanism for dealing with UV-B to deal with the meagre levels that does reach the surface.
  UV-C is even more nasty than UV-B and none of that reaches the Earth's surface at all
  These lamps are pumping out UV-C and UV-B to disinfect. So the cells ability to repair is completely overwhelmed... A bit like having a fire extinguisher to fight a pyroclastic flow...
  So, no we don't have to worry about cells evolving, but not because the human-produced lamps are 'meager'.
10. Re:Can't wait to see... by Yev000 · 2012-01-04 20:12 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  Not fit for purpose.
  The application here is designed to kill MRSA type bugs within 90 seconds and be ready for use.
  The lights it comes with will make you blind very quickly, hence the enclosure.
11. Re:Can't wait to see... by Joce640k · 2012-01-04 22:11 · Score: 2
  
  Anybody know can I get stainless steel keycaps for my model M?
  
  --
  No sig today...
12. Re:Can't wait to see... by Hitokiri+Battousai · 2012-01-05 01:14 · Score: 3, Interesting
  
  Stainless steel is similarly naturally antimicrobial.
  No, it's not. Which you'd have known if you'd clicked on the GP's link. From Wikipedia:
  
  Unlike copper alloys, stainless steel (S30400) does not exhibit any degree of bactericidal properties. This material, which is one of the most common touch surface materials in the healthcare industry, allows toxic E. coli O157:H7 to remain viable for weeks.
  The GP is also inaccurate in implying that copper alloys are used in all hospitals; this seems to be a relatively recent realization and is only slowly being rolled out.
  
  St. Francis Private Hospital ... decided to become the first hospital in the world to fully specify hygienic copper door handles throughout its facility as part of its infection control program. A full upgrade of all door furniture ... commenced in January 2010.
13. Re:Can't wait to see... by pntkl · 2012-01-05 14:33 · Score: 2
  
  Rhinotillexomania should be sufficient. Really what we need are superior genetics. Earth men, send me all of your earth women. I will inseminate free of charge. I offer superior genes from a force that transcends the entire hyper-dimensional multiverse. Please call: 555-7337.
$900?! by rgbrenner · 2012-01-04 17:34 · Score: 4, Insightful

It's $900?! Geez.. Why don't I just buy new keyboards every 3 months instead
1. Re:$900?! by mrjb · 2012-01-04 20:44 · Score: 2
  
  Every three months? At 900 dollars you can get 900 silicone keyboard protectors which will give you a clean keyboard every DAY for nearly the next 3 YEARS. And here's an other crazy idea: Silicone is more heat resistant than bacteria. Perhaps you don't want to toss away those silicone covers in the bin after a day, but sterilize them and re-use them.
  
  --
  Visit http://ringbreak.dnd.utwente.nl/~mrjb/growingbettersoftware to download your free copy of the book
Who cleans their keyboard? by Nursie · 2012-01-04 17:35 · Score: 2

Surely it's just exercise for the immune system?
Most folks seem to have had a white keyboard, seen how filthy it becomes over time and (instead of cleaning the damn thing) resolved to use black ones in future.
That said I did used to clean the key covers for my old Model M with vodka every once in a while.
1. Re:Who cleans their keyboard? by adolf · 2012-01-04 17:57 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  The black ones turn just as gross: Take one apart sometime and have a look inside.
  The wife's WoW-playing machine slowly developed some issues with the W and 2 keys on her fancy Saitek keyboard. It was really pretty nasty in there. Some scrubbing bubbles for the external plastic bits, and a bit of Deoxit on the Mylar membrane switches, and she's got people asking her what she changed because her DPS went through the roof.
  I take apart my favorite keyboard (an old, heavy, squishy white NMB that I really like the key-feel of, Model M be damned) once every year or two and give everything but the keyswitches a good wash in the dishwasher. It's been a good friend for nearly a decade, despite the occasional spill or cigarette ash or the constant bombardment of smoke residue, and I want to keep it around. (The keycaps were worn smooth long ago...)
  So, yeah: I clean keyboards. Time is money, but money can't always buy a keyboard that I actually like. It's more of a functional thing than a spastic reaction to the obvious bacterial flora that obviously must be living on it, but whatever the case cleaning it helps me type in ways that keep me happy.
  
  --
  Kid-proof tablet..
2. Re:Who cleans their keyboard? by 93+Escort+Wagon · 2012-01-04 17:59 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  That said I did used to clean the key covers for my old Model M with vodka every once in a while.
  I'd rather leave the keyboard alone and just disinfect my insides every so often - although I prefer gin rather than vodka.
  
  --
  #DeleteChrome
3. Re:Who cleans their keyboard? by amRadioHed · 2012-01-04 19:38 · Score: 2
  
  Alcohol works very well, that is why there is little risk of bacteria developing a resistance to it.
  
  --
  We hope your rules and wisdom choke you / Now we are one in everlasting peace
So... by Mashiki · 2012-01-04 17:36 · Score: 3, Insightful

So is this going to kick into the new phase of products that help create resistances like tricloscan does now? And I'm being lazy, there's already a few hundred studies on the links of this. I'm still waiting for people to get it through their head that either we're filthy dirty creatures, living in a filthy dirty environment. And if you're going to sanitize an area, you need to be 100% sure you're getting everything. Otherwise you're simply kicking into darwin mode, and promoting survival instincts for various 'bugs'.

--
Om, nomnomnom...
1. Re:So... by Anonymous Coward · 2012-01-04 18:04 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  there is a difference that you're ignoring here. You're talking about an anti-bacterial drug resistance, which is a terrible, tough thing to deal with. Those fundamentally target only anti-bacterial cells based off of the certain cell structure. It means that it's very effective at killing only the bad cells, and it leaves our bodies alone. UV (and say, alcohol based hand sanatizers) is a very powerful anti-bacterial, because UV radiation is very damaging at the cellular level, regardless of whether or not it is healthy. This is fine. We cannot use these treatments to help keep us healthy internally. It would be like using bleach (also very effective against germs) inside our system. So lets uses these external systems which would destroy us internally, and keep the hardcore antibiotics for when we actually get very sick.
But are those germs dangerous? by bogaboga · 2012-01-04 18:03 · Score: 3, Interesting

"...While the FDA has signed off on it, tests show that the UV only kills about two-thirds of the germs living in it, and that it still needs to be cleaned by hand."
Given that we as human beings are full of germs of some kind (especially on the skin), I wonder whether the germs on these keyboards are germs one should worry about.
Are they dangerous?
My answer: Not really, because no epidemic has ever been reported as having had its genesis from an un-cleaned keyboard. I have a feeling that these keyboards will appeal to clean-freaks mostly.
1. Re:But are those germs dangerous? by Brett+Buck · 2012-01-04 18:21 · Score: 2
  
  I don't know about that. I would suggest that spending to much time in front of a dirty keyboard has led to an epidemic of obesity, social awkwardness, and unnatural obsession with Natalie Portman. That's just apocryphal, of course.
2. Re:But are those germs dangerous? by mrdogi · 2012-01-05 00:41 · Score: 2
  
  Keyboards? No. However, I've heard of entire civilizations being wiped out due to lack of sanitized phones.
Sanitary spec by Walt+Dismal · 2012-01-04 18:29 · Score: 3, Funny

Er, are these keyboards sperm-resistant? I don't want to know, my, er, friend, does.
obligatory XKCD by BluBrick · 2012-01-04 18:30 · Score: 3, Funny

is obligatory.

--
Ahh - My eye!
The doctor said I'm not supposed to get Slashdot in it!
BSoD! by pbjones · 2012-01-04 18:55 · Score: 2

Did I get to say it first??? Ex-Microsoft employees build a useful Blue Screen of Death!

--
There was an unknown error in the submission.
Isopropanol by jps25 · 2012-01-04 18:57 · Score: 2

Just buy some 99.9% pure isopropanol and some distilled water. 5L cost like 10-15EUR here and last a long time.
Then submerge the keyboard or spray it with a 70-80% isopropanol/distilled water solution and let it dry.
1. Re:Isopropanol by subreality · 2012-01-04 23:02 · Score: 2
  
  60-70% IPA actually kills bugs better than pure, which is why the stuff at the drug store is usually 70%. I've heard two explanations why: #1, it doesn't coagulate the proteins at the surface as much and therefore does a better job getting inside the critters; #2, it evaporates an order of magnitude slower, whereas 100% disappears from your skin or the surface being cleaned within seconds.