A student team from the University of Alabama in Huntsville has won the $8,000 first prize in the Boeing New Business Challenge with a system that uses ultraviolet light to sanitize garments.
The system, called VioClean, uses UV-C light, which can kill 99.9% of bacteria in 20 minutes.
The technology behind the product was developed in a student-faculty partnership at UAH and is now in the patent process with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
“Our technology capitalizes on the germicidal properties of UV-C light to reduce bacteria to a level that does not cause foul odors in the towel or garment,” says team lead Andrew Zelinka, a mechanical engineering senior at UAH and a marketing intern with the university’s office of technology commercialization.
“Once sanitized, our product also has the ability to warm whatever is inside and apply a fresh scent for an all-around pleasant user experience,” he says, adding the product can be used for towels, clothing, shoes and more.
The group hopes to market its product first to the residential market and later to commercial towel users like spas, barber shops and hotels.
The UV-C technology was invented by Kailyn Grant while she was duel-enrolled at UAH in fall 2021; Dr. Aubrey Beal, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering; and Dr. Tanya Sysoeva, an assistant professor of biological science.
