Christie, the global visual and audio technology company, has launched Christie CounterAct, a new far-UVC light fixture for UV disinfection that can be used around people.
Christie is proud to introduce Christie CounterAct, an innovative far-UVC light fixture with patented Care222 technology. This can reduce pathogens in commercial indoor venues and is safe to use while people are present.
This new line of commercial UV disinfection products is ideal for a variety of venues, from cinemas and museums to theme parks, sports complexes and more. Christie uses Ushio’s patented narrowband filtered Care222 excimer lamps for this new range. These emit far-UVC 222nm light – the only UV technology shown to continuously and significantly reduce pathogens, like coronaviruses, that may also be used while people are present.
Safe UV disinfection
The Christie CounterAct fixture has been developed by Christie’s parent company, Ushio Inc. and mass production will begin in January 2021. The new product is based on technology licensed from Columbia University, the revolutionary Care222 far-UVC, mercury-free excimer lamp.
This has been highlighted in FORTUNE magazine’s annual Change the World list. It includes a proprietary short pass filter that prevents the emission of the longer wavelengths of UV light (230nm and higher), which are capable of penetrating human skin and eyes. Other 222nm and far-UVC products do not have this feature.
For an added line of defence against pathogens in busy indoor venues, Christie CounterAct fixtures are easy to control remotely and feature fast instant on/off at full output power. They are ideal for entertainment spaces, lobbies, auditoriums, restrooms and more.
The first Christie CounterAct fixture has two Care222 excimer far-UVC lamps. These significantly reduce pathogens on surfaces of any indoor space and have been shown to be effective at reducing pathogens in laboratory tests.
A proven solution
A key issue with most UVC solutions is that they use a 254nm wavelength, which is capable of penetrating human skin and eyes. Therefore, they can only be used in empty venues or while people are wearing protective equipment.
However, a study conducted by Kobe University, published in August 2020, showed that the shorter wavelength, far-UVC 222nm light does not penetrate the skin, meaning it is safe to use in occupied spaces. In addition to this, another recent study, published in the American Journal of Infection Control shows that far-UVC 222nm light can reduce over 99.7% of surface contamination of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
Finally, researchers at Columbia University Irving Medical Center also tested far-UVC 222nm light and its effect on aerosolized seasonal coronaviruses. They found that 99.9% of aerosolized seasonal coronaviruses (the cause of the common cold) were inactivated when exposed to far-UVC 222nm light in just 25 minutes.
Zoran Veselic, president and COO, Christie, says: “People are essential to the entertainment industry, and their level of comfort in public venues is paramount to the industry’s success.
“We are very proud to be able to offer this product with Ushio’s Care222 technology to our partners, and we are excited about the possibilities the technology will have in bringing customers back to the places they love, such as movie theatres and theme parks.
“The fact that far-UVC light – specifically, our new Christie CounterAct far-UVC fixture – can be used in the presence of people is a real differentiating factor. By harnessing these benefits as part of a user-friendly product that can be quickly deployed, we hope to provide a much-needed boost to our partners across the entertainment industry who are currently struggling to attract wary customers.”
Christie also recently announced that its laser projectors were used to light up an iconic watchtower overlooking China’s Yellow River in Lanzhou as part of a special light show.
