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Researchers hope lightweight machine made in Cheswick can help fight COVID-19

CHESWICK, Pa. — Researchers are hoping a nine-pound machine made by a company in Cheswick can help fight COVID-19.

The Nanowave Air has more than 400 parts and the company said it can inactivate the virus within two milliseconds using UV light.

“It can inactivate the COVID-19 virus up to 99% at five liters a second. That means we’re inactivating air as it moves through the device in under two thousandths of a second,” said company founder and CEO Jeff Mullen. “We’re hoping this is a game changer.”

The goal, Mullen said, is to reduce the viral load in enclosed areas like offices, schools, waiting rooms or even large vehicles.

“The other place you can use them is imagine you’re in an examining room. A patient comes in, they have to remove their mask in order to get examined. So you can set these devices up so that you’re providing inactivated air directly to that person continuously,” Mullen said.

He said the end game is to make bigger versions of the device to create safer public spaces and less mask time.

“Maybe even go overhead into HVAC air ducts,” Mullen said.

A unit will cost you around $3,500 and it has an average lifespan of about 15,000 hours, but Mullen said the light sources can be refreshed without having to buy a new one.

If you’d like more information, visit the company’s website by CLICKING HERE