The invention, patented worldwide, is the work of the gastroenterologist Rosario Valles and of the quantum physics engineer, graduate of Oxford, Carmelo Cartier. The owner of the patent is the Nextsense Srl, which is part of the P&P Patents and Technologies, a company that develops patents in the field of infection control and prevention. It is a LED bulb that will be sold at a cost between 32 and 35 euros. There light issued is capable of sanitize the surrounding environment, illuminating the rooms, as a common light bulb could do.
Is called "Biovitae” and is a device that is installed and powered by the existing electrical systems, without the need for any modification, not even to the lamp holder. It must be said immediately that it is not a simple bactericidal light like those already existing and used in the health sector. No, because these devices have various limitations: they are good for sanitizing objects, but they can become dangerous for humans, they have costs, in most cases they are not suitable for the use of primary lighting or they are only effective for short distances from the source or only for particular microbial strains.
The intuition of Valles and Cartiere overcomes all these critical issues through the creation of a lighting device with energy consumption that does not differ too much from the current one of a LED lamp. Furthermore, it does not use materials classified as dangerous and does not emit light radiation at wavelengths falling in the ultraviolet region (harmful to humans), but the peaks are kept only in the band between 400 and 420 nanometres. How is it possible? It's right there innovation: inside the lamp a lighting chamber has been obtained with a microthermostat which, through a particular set of sensors, allows the management of the light signal within the established range.
The action bactericidal it is aimed at sanitizing environments without making them sterile. For this reason, the system managed by the microcontroller has the task of controlling the operating times of the device to ensure that the optimal limits are adjusted which ensure, when necessary, the reduction but not the complete destruction of the microbial population. However, in particular cases, where it is required (health/medical-scientific environments), it is possible to adjust the timer to achieve complete sterilization of the environments. All this through the presence on the circuit board of a wireless device (infrared, bluetooth, wi-fi or gsm) which allows the microcontroller to communicate with an external device remotely.
Al microcontroller, among other things, it is possible to connect one or more probes of monitoring, to always be placed on the card, to check – for example – the level of humidity, carbon dioxide, redox potential, ambient light intensity and ambient light spectrum.
The effectiveness of Biovitae on various viral and bacterial strains has been tested by qualified laboratories and research centres. Lastly, the Scientific Department of the Celio Military Polyclinic of Rome tested its effectiveness on Sars-Cov2 in June: in a protected environment (Class 3 laboratory), the Biovitae device used for experimentation killed 99,8% of Sars-Cov2, demonstrating its effectiveness also on viruses, as well as on bacteria, spores, molds and fungi with an action that causes – unlike simple UV rays – irreversible damage to the structure of microorganisms. Further tests were carried out on other viral species including those of yellow fever and pandemic influenza H1N1. Additional trials will be conducted as part of a multicenter study involving two European military laboratories (Germany and Sweden), under the coordination of the Scientific Department of the Military Hospital of Rome.
The most important places where Biovitae has already been installed are the primary care hospital at Fiumicino airport, the Montevergine Clinic in Mercogliano and the processing center "The Great” (exclusive meat supplier of Eataly).
But where can you buy Biovitae? At the moment, it would seem that it can only be purchased online, starting from December 10th, through thee-commerce of the same site describing the innovation. It will subsequently be sold both in pharmacies and through other distribution channels. Since it is also a normal lighting device, although registered as a class I medical device with the Ministry of Health, it is useful to know that it is a energy class A+, which offers a duration of 30.000 hours and reduces the emission of CO2 into the atmosphere to 33 kg/year. For comparison, a CFL bulb inputs 62kg per year and a regular LED bulb, 41kg.
Last July, as part of the Virtual Health Innovation Exchange 2020 promoted by UNAIDS, the UN agency for the fight against AIDS, Biovitae was awarded among the top3 Global Innovations for the contribution it provides to achieving the Sustainable Development Goal 3, with particular reference to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Updated:
The association in defense of consumers "Altroconsumo" has reported the advertisement of Biovitae to the Guarantor Authority of competition and the market for unfair commercial practice.
But is there a serious study published in some scientific journal that provides verifiable data on this invention?
No, just pre-prints (https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.18.20134577v1), at the moment. Then there are the tests performed by the Celio hospital (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dl-DwtTGGfM&feature=emb_logo).
Thank you!
But how do you buy them in stock?
I think it is better to contact the company directly via email, it is not advisable to make purchases in stock directly on e-commerce.
Maybe he didn't understand the question correctly: the light bulb kills viruses and bacteria in the rooms. It doesn't heal anyone. Keep infections from staying active out in the air or on surfaces. The author reports all the tests done so far, but she says it's a hoax, but she doesn't explain why, she doesn't even link the opinion of an expert who has dealt with this invention. It's her comment that isn't done right, not the article. Journalists should not express opinions, but report facts.
They are certainly effective but with too high costs
It's a hoax, this is not how you give this news. At least serious experts must be consulted and their opinion put next to that of the inventor. The light bulb that kills bacteria and viruses including covid: if it were true we would have solved all the problems.
At the moment, the data, both on paper (international patents) and in practice (tests done by the Celio hospital), suggest yes. It's not the only source. Virtually all the most important newspapers have been talking about it for some time now.
But will it be true? Why is this the only source that talks about it?