MCI: Fight against virus in residential and nursing home with UV-C LED light

Understanding crises as opportunities are part of the DNA of the Entrepreneurial School® in Innsbruck. The new start-up company “CAREbyLIGHT” is based on this principle, presenting concrete solutions and create benefits for Tyrol as a business location by innovative research technologies.

CAREbyLIGHT GmbH, founded together with the well-known Tyrolean company PLANLICHT GmbH, has set itself the task of effectively eliminate viruses, bacteria, germs, and fungi with UV-C-LED light.

The result of the common efforts is a disinfection box named seCUBE. Within this box, hospital beds, wheelchairs, walking aids, infusion stands and much more are made sterile efficiently, contact-free and arrears-free by using UV-C light. Within this process, pathogens are killed in order to prevent smear infections. The disinfection time per cycle takes place within three to four minutes.

In Tyrol, the residential and nursing home St. Vincent of the Merciful Sisters in Innsbruck is the first health care facility to benefit from this new invention and thus disinfects the surfaces of medical aids without leaving any residue. The product range of seCube is diverse and can be used in different scales such as for the sterilization of cell phones, writing utensils, jewelry and spectacle frames or toys for children.

Harald Schöbel, project manager at the MCI explains: "UV-C light is already being used in areas with high hygiene requirements to disinfect air, water and surfaces. However, the tube technology used is characterized by lower efficiency and maintenance intervals. Modern LED technology has hardly found its way into these areas to date. We are proud to have jointly realized a highly effective and efficient project here in Tyrol in such a short time".

Wilfried Posch, Senior Scientist and Project Manager at the Institute for Hygiene and Medical Microbiology at the Medical University of Innsbruck confirms: "An efficient way to reduce germs in the air, in water and on surfaces is possible by irradiating them with UV-C light in the wavelength range between 200 nm and 280 nm. This process kills 99% of all germs at the appropriate dose. UV-C radiation is particularly well suited for this purpose, as it is versatile and, depending on the radiation dose, allows inactivation of bacteria, viruses and spores".

Statements:

Landesrätin Patrizia Zoller Frischauf supports the initiative in the name of the country Tirol: “Tyrol is well-known as an idea factory. This innovative product of the Entrepreneurial University®, the company Planlicht, EcoBerger and the Medical University of Innsbruck is an excellent example of how networking benefits the business location Tyrol".

Felicitas Kohler, CEO, PLANLICHT: "We have used the crisis as an opportunity to think about what light can be used for besides illuminating rooms. That's why we came across the topic of disinfection and are excited to have MCI as a proven and competent partner at our side. I see this technological cooperation above all as a sustainable investment in Tyrol as a business location”.

Gerald Kohler, COO, PLANLICHT: "With the UVC-LED technology in seCUBE, we are creating a very short-term and innovative solution for surface disinfection, which is also ecologically valuable: residue-free, without mercury, without chemicals!”

Andreas Partl, economic manager of the congregation in the residential and nursing home St. Vinzenz is pleased: "This project has Tyrol written all over it. We are pleased to be part of this extraordinary project and therefore can guarantee the well-being of our residents".