Building a Machine to Eliminate Pathogens with Neil Day, CTO, R-Zero

IT Visionaries

Human beings have an ability to tolerate quite a bit. Oftentimes, this is a helpful survival strategy. Rather than being overwhelmed by life’s frailties to the point flight or fight is kicking in, it’s generally a good thing to accept the realities of existence that cannot be changed and then operate accordingly on that basis. This is better than being constantly unnerved by real and sometimes alarming things that it seems one cannot control. But sometimes a huge disruption lets people know that they have been tolerating something concerning that’s impact could have been mitigated by a sustained effort which leads to a new solution. Neil Day, CTO of R-Zero, makes this point about the seeming unstoppability of certain infectious diseases.

Main Takeaways

• Solving Multiple Problems: Not only was the coronavirus a huge problem, typical disinfectant solutions, such as liquid disinfectants, were difficult to apply and inefficient. Of course, massive problems are also opportunities for innovation.
• Relying on Something Tried and True: Using UV light as a disinfectant has historical precedence as well as scientific evidence concerning its effectiveness to curb the spread of viruses. R-Zero leaned into this established technology and then created a product that could utilize it effectively. Sensors in the machine as well as its capacity to hold data allow for implementation of risk management procedures.
• Now That We Are Utilizing UV More…: UV technology may become a more typical means to disinfect both businesses, and, eventually, homes. In recent history, people have mostly accepted that illness from viruses is an inevitable part of life. Based upon the experience of the pandemic and the potential solutions that may spring forth to solve that problem, this mentality may evolve and push humanity into a different expectation concerning health.

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