Self-Cleaning Keyboard

A Bothell, Washington start-up is looking to keep people healthy by zapping germs off computer keyboards, starting with local hospitals.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control estimate up to 99,000 people die each year from hospital-acquired infections.

The makers of the Vioguard keyboard hope to cut that number by a quarter with their product, though that number is a point of contention among health professionals.

It's designed to be a keyboard, with a touch-pad, that slides into a steel box after it's used.

Germicidal UV lamps inside the box then flood the keyboard for a user-set duration.

An infrared sensor allows people to bring the keyboard back out without touching the box.

"In as little as 10 seconds, we're killing 99.9 percent of MRSA that's on there," said Vioguard co-founder Ken Sullivan.

MRSA, the so-called superbug, is not the only target, said Sullivan.

Company testers claim to be able to kill other bacteria, viruses, and spores left on the keyboard.

"The test results we are getting back say that it's actually better than some of the cleaning solutions and disinfecting solutions that are out there," said co-founder Craig Ranta.
But local doctors are concerned that a clean keyboard may not be effective, since currently most hospitals already have strict guidelines on hand sanitizing.

"[Vioguard's keyboard] has to be proven that it actually adds value, that it actually decreases infection rates," said Dr. Marty Siegel, an infectious disease specialist with Swedish Medical Center.

Still, Siegel agrees that hand hygiene is the key to stopping the spread of hospital-acquired infections.

"Our hands are the principal way by which bacteria are transmitted to patients," Siegel said. "People becoming infected in the hospital are at much greater risk for greater infections and [it] increases their risk of death."

Vioguard says they plan to start shipping units by June.

They say they're already in talks with local hospitals about testing the product in real-world settings.

A consumer version, however, may still be a ways away, Sullivan said, adding that they are working on a smaller version for the future.

And for now, he said, the keyboards costs about $600 each.