Handrails are pretty good at helping escalator riders stay balanced, but you know what else they're good at? Collecting germs. LG is aiming to put a stop to these conveyor belts of infectious bacteria with a dedicated sterilizer that kills them off with UV light.
With countless hands reaching out for the steadying influence of these rubbery rails, they can play host to all kinds of undesirable items such as E. coli, urine, blood and mucus. But according to LG, such things can be killed off with a steady stream of UV light.
The Handrail UV LED Sterilizer is installed on the front end of an escalator handrail, just before the point where a passenger would first grab a hold of it. By applying a UV LED light at a wavelength of 278 nanometers, the company claims this sterilizer then destroys the DNA of 99.99 percent of germs that pass through.
Installation is said to be simple and require no changes to the escalator, and the wireless device requires no power as it apparently generates its own electricity from the moving handle. The company also notes that it is harmless for humans, as it does not use chemicals or heavy metals.
There's no word yet on how much the sterilizer will cost, but LG says it has already gained CE certification from the European Union and a KC certificate from South Korea, so perhaps the escalator riders of those regions will be the first treated to sanitized rails.
Source: LG