
Show HN: Orb – The World's First Germ-Killing UV Light Ball (1st Kickstarter) - SeerWS
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/572058660/orbtm-the-worlds-first-germ-killing-uv-light-ball
======
bradknowles
So, there's a problem here. When you expose human eyeballs to UV light, you
risk causing serious damage to your retinas. You won't feel the pain, but you
could easily go blind. It would probably take some time, but the damage is
cumulative -- a little here and a little there turns into a lot down the road.

So, you need to protect your eyes from potentially damaging UV light when you
work with these things. But I don't see any of the models in this video taking
care of their eyesight with regards to this product. That's something the
manufacturer needs to deal with, unless they want to be the target of
Asbestos-scale lawsuits.

~~~
tgragnato
Adding to this:

\- UV is effective only when it directly hits a microbial cell

the lamps must be cleaned regularly to remove any dust and dirt that may block
its germicidal effectiveness (ethanol approx every 2 weeks)

\- UV lamps used in biological safety cabinets use much more power than a
battery powered micro-lamp (so they're much more effective), yet do not
disinfect the spill area under the directly exposed surface, a favorite
hideout for fungal spores

how can a couple of balls scattered throughout the house actually have an
effect ?

\- skin cancer ??

