Microsoft Patents Self-Sterilizing Touch Screen
Microsoft filed a patent that would provide a solution for those who are concerned about all the germs populating a touch screen surface. Microsoft uses ultraviolet light to sterilize the surface of a screen.
It is widely known that devices such as keyboards and computer mice are the least hygienic places in any household. As we are replacing keyboards with touch screens, those greasy screen surfaces could become prominent transfer stations for bacteria. A patent filed by Microsoft in April 2010 suggests that an ultraviolet (UV) light source could be used to sanitize touch screen surfaces. The UV light source would be integrated into a device and would be positioned with the backlight and kill germs from the rear side of the touch screen.
The patent envisions the technology to be used not only for personal computing devices, but especially devices that are exposed to different people, such as ATM screens at banks, checkout stations in grocery stores as well as kiosks at airports. The technology is designed to be used in combination with a proximity sensor that activates the UV light source when a user is not present - and emit UV light at a wavelength that is suited to sterilize the touch screen.
There was no information in which specific products the technology could become available.
- WoW Annual Pass Subscribers Get Diablo III for Free
- Sony Announces External 100 GB Blu-ray Burner
- Diablo III Collector's Edition and New Cinematic Revealed
- RAGE Issues Have Some Wondering About DOOM 4
- Winners of the Upgrading and Repairing PCs Book
- Blizzard Announces 4th WoW Expansion: Mists of Pandaria
- Deals Oct 21: Dual 24" Dell 1080p LED HDMI LCDs $360
- Sony Launching Ultrabook in December Says Intel
- Seagate: Terabyte Platter HDDs Now in Volume Production
- Blizzard Discusses StarCraft 2: Heart of the Swarm
- VIDEO: It's One Hour of Counter-Strike GO Footage
- Sony to Put PlayStation Suite On Third Party Devices
- Windows 8 Features Slick Search from Start Screen
- Intel Releases Core i7-2700K Processor
- Rumor: Windows 8 Launching August 2012; Win 9 in 2014
- HDD Prices are Increasing Rapidly; 50% in One Week
- AMD's Deccan, Kerala Slated for Ultrabooks
- MacBook Pro Line Gets Spec Bump; New CPUs & GPUs
That is definitely a awesome idea but shoot don't anybody use soap bar anymore? Maybe that is just the old school in me.
Reassuring for germaphobes. I is also nice to be clean for normal people. Although I ma not really concern about it.
Now you can steal password even easier. Just need fluorescence powder on the fingers because UV light is already there.
So you can work your entire vacation for free and still come back with a tan! Awesome.
Some cellphones have a antibacterial coating and it also kill off germs.
Microsoft can invent something that cleans off finger prints too.
That is definitely a awesome idea but shoot don't anybody use soap bar anymore? Maybe that is just the old school in me.
no, unfortunately, there are people who f**king get out of the wash room without washing their hands.
Finally! A patent that deserves to be rewarded.
but won't the user be exposed to ultraviolet light?
this tech will take care of some of the most-used, dirtiest surfaces. nice idea.
however, after ms patents it,
it will get hacked and used to infect people with viruses.
it will be used to steal atm passwords.
criminal will use it to steal fingerprint/palmprint data.
will cause microsoft to release an sp1.
will cause microsoft to build a cross platform compatible touch friendly sterilizing system named microsoft touch gr8.0
will be sued by apple's isterlizetouchscreen patent.
no, unfortunately, there are people who f**king get out of the wash room without washing their hands.
True I do that sometime if its real dirty in there -_-
I would be more interested in a self refill coffee cup.
/sarcasm.
no, unfortunately, there are people who f**king get out of the wash room without washing their hands.
Well it's not like I piss on my hands, I wash my hands BEFORE I take a leak then re-rinse after. Why would you aim your ding dong without clean hands?
I'm glad they mentioned turning the UV off when a person is present. The levels of UV needed to properly sanitize the surface would not be good for a human over long periods.
My other concern would be the life of the UV emitter. UV based systems are used in swimming pools and hot tubs in some cases, however the UV bulb itself degrades in efficiency almost immediately. And they only last so long. Would be interesting to see what they use to emit the UV.
UV light fades colors...anything that's hit by the light will fade quicker...time to buy new clothes more often
I had this idea.
but won't the user be exposed to ultraviolet light?
you do realize those white tubes in you house, we call fluorescent lights emit UV too rite?
That is definitely a awesome idea but shoot don't anybody use soap bar anymore? Maybe that is just the old school in me.
I read somewhere that mobile surfaces have more bacteria than any loo surface. So a good initiative from MS.
Finally not some ridiculous patent, that we are used to see by Apple.
Now scientists has a reason to declare that smartphones can cause cancer.
That is definitely a awesome idea but shoot don't anybody use soap bar anymore? Maybe that is just the old school in me.
No. Not in the medical hospital environment, where you would think it would be used the most. You do NOT see soap. You see hand sanitizers. (They still do it in the OR areas).
You will see (examples):
* Calphalon
* Avagard D
* Purell
Also note: Sterilizing and sanitizing a surface does NOT mean clean. It means the dirt and microbes are likely still present, but rendered neutral (dead).
Good one microsoft & make sure you patent it before Apple does. It's good that we see something that is going to be patented by some one other than Apple.
LOL, Some dental caps turn black under UV light..
Smile!!
But can it remove graffiti off the screen?
How the f* can this get patented?! UV-light is used to sterilize surfaces (and other things such as water) already!
i survived this long using those filthy keyboards and dirty mice. i'm more worried about the PC's health - software bugs, virus, trojan worms.
How the f* can this get patented?! UV-light is used to sterilize surfaces (and other things such as water) already!
It's probably a patent on the way the technology is implemented. That's my guess anyway.
I wonder if you can hack it so you can get some nice tanning time :3
All the germaphobes rejoice!
UV light has been used to sterilize things for years. Does this really deserve a patent?
But what if they don't quite use enough UV radiation to kill the germs and instead just mutate them into becoming something like airborne explosive AIDS from Hell with fricken laser beams attached to their fricken heads?!
Microsoft filed a patent that would provide a solution for those who are concerned about all the germs populating a touch screen surface. Microsoft uses ultraviolet light to sterilize the surface of a screen.
Microsoft Patents Self-Sterilizing Touch Screen : Read more
May be good technology with Windows 8 comming on-board next year. It will only be a matter of time before built-in screen UV's are standard on laptops and monitors, which spells big bucks for MS.
So windows phones will have fewer bugs than other phones, right?