Consumer electronics firm Orient Electric has announced its entry into the health appliances space through the launch of UV Sanitech, a box-shaped sanitisation chamber that uses ultraviolet (UVC) light to kill viruses and bacteria.
The company said the product will be able to kill viruses like coronavirus (COVID-19) as well as other bacteria, fungi using UVC in four minutes. This can be used on food items, masks, bags, electronics, currency, wallet and mobile phones among others.
The product, priced at Rs 11,999, will be available on Amazon and Flipkart from July 18. But in an interaction with Moneycontrol, Rakesh Khanna, MD & CEO of Orient Electric said the product will have a special launch price of Rs 7,999.
This is the first such product from a consumer durable firm in India available for retail customers. Currently, products that are available on e-commerce sites are tiny devices mostly for mobile phones. Amidst the COVID-19 crisis, research has proven than UVC has the potential to kill this virus.
UVC is short-wavelength ultraviolet rays that use heat to break apart DNA so that the virus is neutralised.
While a few startups, including those from several Indian Institutes of Technologies (IIT) had developed UVC sanitizer boxes, these products are still only at the prototype stage.
Khanna said Orient Electric conceptualised, designed and launched the product in 60 days. He added the product is made in India and is tested/certified at NABL-accredited lab.
“There is a rise in demand for health and hygiene products amidst COVID-19. Through our UV Sanitech, one can quickly sanitise all the product brought inside the house from outside. Also, if the box is accidentally opened, the device shuts off so that there is no harm caused to skin or eyes,” he added.
Direct exposure to UVC can be harmful to the skin and also damage the eyes. Hence, wherever this light is used, it is done so in a closed enclosure.
“Whatever products are being sold are mostly restricted to mobile phones and the majority are made in China. These neither have any certifications nor safety mechanisms,” he added.
Orient UV Sanitech box has 34 litres capacity and it uses two UVC lamps of 11 watts each placed diagonally providing sufficient UV germicidal irradiation with the surround reflectivity ensuring a uniform spread of the UV irradiation from different angles.
The device is top-loading and has a safety switch which automatically turns off the UV light when the door is open.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
