Affordable & Foldable ‘UV Bag’ Can Help Sanitise Your Phones, Groceries & More
“From the newspaper to packets of milk to any parcel, almost everything can be sanitised at the door, in a matter of just 10 minutes.”
This article has been sponsored by TRU-V
The last few months have witnessed a wave of change that many of us are still struggling to adjust to. The new normal of curfews, deserted streets, face masks, wearing gloves in public spaces and stricter measures of social distancing has left many in a state of anxiety, especially with respect to sanitisation.
While one can shield themselves and others around them by taking precautionary measures outdoors, how safe are we indoors?
Effective sanitisation household goods is a challenge many have to face daily. Aditya Jindal, a Delhi-based techie, experienced a similar situation.
“I live in a joint family with my grandparents. So, we have to be extra careful due to the COVID-19 situation. But, with so many members sharing a space, washing and disinfecting each and every item entering the house is quite a challenging task. Also, things like shoes, clothes or soft surfaces were harder to sanitise using a regular sanitiser at the entryway of the house.”
Looking for solutions, Aditya, and his friend Milind Bansia, both graduates from the Delhi College of Engineering, found an answer in UV-C light technology.
UV-C Technology disinfection box in a budget
“Several studies and existing high-end products confirmed the efficiency of ultraviolet light in disinfection of surfaces. The UV-C technology ( i.e. light in the 200-280 nm wavelength UV-C spectrum) interacts with the RNA and DNA of cells and microbes, incapacitating them. It can therefore easily terminate viruses and bacteria and so is used as a germicidal,” explains Milind.
So based on this principle, the Delhi-based duo launched a startup called TRU-V, focused on creating UV-based disinfecting devices.
After months of research and relentless efforts, they launched two products — the UV Care Pro and UV Care X — that can sanitise almost any surface efficiently in a matter of minutes. Be it masks, gloves, groceries, cardboard boxes or any electronics; the bag-shaded device can disinfect the objects in just 10 minutes.
“One can find many sophisticated and high-end products following the same principle available in the market. The concept is already tried and tested and is quite successful. But, the problem is most of these products, usually used by hospitals or for industrial purposes, are quite expensive. Most of these UV disinfectants start from Rs 5,000 and go up as high as Rs 10,000 to 15,000, depending on the brand. So our device had to be compact, easy to use and affordable. Parv Rustogi, our batchmate, helped us with the design and in due time, we were able to create an expandable, affordable and lightweight UV disinfection box or bag,” adds Aditya.
The duo says that the intention of creating such innovation was to ensure anyone, including those in Tier II and Tier III cities as well as rural regions, can afford it while not compromising on safety or effectiveness. They have priced the UV Care Pro at Rs 2,599 and the UVCare X for 2,499. They have also recently launched a third version called UV Care Next with premium materials at a higher price range.
The affordability of this innovation has been maintained only through an overhaul in design (TRU-V design is patent pending) using engineering first principles and the use of more sustainable materials without compromising on the quality of disinfection or safety provided by the device. Like any other disinfectant or sterilizer, TRU-V products maintain high-quality standards ensuring no UV leakage and high efficiency.
User-friendly and portable
“For households or commercial and public spaces, this box can be kept at the entrance so that anyone can disinfect their devices or bags, etc. before entering. From the morning newspaper, packets of milk to any parcel, almost everything can be sanitised before bringing it inside,” says Milind.
Weighing just 800 gm, the box easily collapses from a height of 12 inches to 3 inches, thus making it quite travel-friendly as well.
“The bag has a 3-level lining. While the inner layer is made of specialised reflective non-woven lining, the second layer is of a tougher Polyethylene foam or Fiber material, and the outer is made of PU-coated polyester that makes it moisture resistant as well. The inner lining also ensures that UV light is reflected in all corners for efficient disinfection while the mid-layer provides thermal insulation and stability to the structure. On the exterior, we have also added a peephole using a thick transparent material often used in UV protective eyewear, to aid in safe viewing of the process with no exposure to UV radiation,” he says.
In order to ensure quality, their product has undergone strict trials and has received certification from the Indian Council of Medical Research empanelled government lab, Council of Scientific Research – Central Scientific Instruments Organization(CSIR-CSOI) for being effective against harmful virus in 10 minutes. It has also received a BIS empanelled lab approval for no UV leakage and a European Conformity (CE) certification for quality.
Anyone can purchase their products either from their official website or other e-commerce platforms like Flipkart and Amazon. TRU-V has also been selling these offline, through city-based distributors.
Having already sold 8,000 units so far, the duo believes that the heightened sensitisation to hygiene measures can really help them scale up, in diverse markets including those for baby products, industries, etc.
Delhi-based Dr Vipin Jain is one of the many users of TRU-V and feels that this product is going to be an essential part of the post-COVID new normal.
“I have been using TRU-V in my residence, and quite frankly, it is not a thing of luxury but a necessity in today’s times. I believe that people should not look at it as some high-tech gadget they could have at home. Instead, it is an electronic device that helps them be safe in this uncertain situation. At a time when sanitisers cannot be trusted to completely disinfect all surfaces like your phones, clothes, newspapers, shoes, etc. this device is very helpful. I keep it at the entrance of the house so anyone coming in can first disinfect and then safely enter without the risk of contamination,” says Dr Jain.
“Even in the post-COVID-19 world, sanitisation is now becoming an integral part of our lifestyle just like washing hands with soap. In the western markets, the use of UV technology to disinfect baby products like bottles, toys, diapers is already quite established, and we hope it can be the same here. And with the positive feedback, we have received from professionals from various including doctors and lawyers about the utility of this product, the future looks promising,” concludes Milind.
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