Antibacterial Touch Screen Developed for Hospital, Cleanroom Use
Technology is registered with the EPA A new touch screen provides advantages for environments where cleanliness is critical.
The CleanScreen from MicroTouch Systems Inc. (Methuen, MA) is the world's first touch screen to incorporate antibacterial technology registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. To create the CleanScreen, a resistive membrane is permanently bonded to the glass surface of the company's ClearTek 3000 touch screen, providing a surface where bacteria and other microbial contaminants cannot grow. The screen is designed for applications where hygiene is a concern, such as in cleanroom manufacturing and hospitals.
Permanently bonded to the touch screen surface, the resistive membrane does not affect display clarity.
CleanScreen was developed in response to rising consumer concern about bacterial and microbial contamination. In the United States, the number of products that incorporate antibacterial properties increased from 36 in 1992 to 242 in 1998, according to a New York–based research firm. The rise of touch screen systems in healthcare and cleanroom environments also prompted the technology. According to Janet Muto, MicroTouch vice president of worldwide marketing, "The touch screen is rapidly replacing the keyboard and buttons as the common user interface in many . . . systems because it is intuitively easy to use. CleanScreen gives users a new level of confidence that the surface of the touch screen is protected from contaminants."
The product has several advantages over traditional touch screen cleaning procedures. CleanScreen has no effect on display optics or clarity; it is resistant to contamination and easily cleaned. CleanScreen is also safe for the user and the environment because it contains no arsenic, heavy metals, or polychlorinated phenols. The resistive membrane does not leach into the environment, migrate to a user's hands, or wear off when the screen is cleaned. Moreover, unlike conventional antimicrobials and disinfectants, the technology does not allow bacteria or fungi to adapt or create resistant organisms.
MicroTouch is delivering ClearTek 3000 touch screens with CleanScreen to customers at no extra cost. —Jodi Triplett
Additional information:
CleanScreen uses a proprietary antibacterial treatment marketed by AEGIS Environments, of Midland, MI. The AEGIS antimicrobial agent, Microbe Shield, is bonded to the touch screen coating. Microbe Shield technology, based on technology developed and tested by Dow Corning Corp., has been commercially available since 1976 and is registered with the EPA for treatment of glass fixtures. The AEGIS Microbe Shield web site is located at www.microbeshield.com. MicroTouch operates ISO 9001-certified manufacturing plants in Methuen, MA, and in Abingdon, England. The company also maintains facilities in Texas, Japan, Taiwan, and Australia. The company's web site is located at http://www.microtouch.com. MicroTouch operates an internet-based electronic commerce site that sells touch screen monitors and related products.