Skip to main content

Keep bacteria at bay by sterilizing objects with Cleanty, a mobile LED device

Keep Bacteria Off in seconds with Cleanty - LED Sterilizer
Just like the shark in Jaws — the first one, at least — what makes bacteria so scary is the fact that we don’t see it. It’s also what makes it hard to keep at bay.

That’s the problem a new mobile device, currently raising funds on Kickstarter, is hoping to help solve. Called Cleanty, it’s a mobile UVC LED light source the size of your thumb, or a tube of lipstick. By shining it on surfaces, Cleanty’s creator claims that you can quickly and easily sterilize objects around you, and thereby significantly decrease your chance of infection.

Recommended Videos

“A couple of years ago, we had an outbreak of MERS disease in Korea,” Korean-born entrepreneur Harry Song told Digital Trends. “It was really nasty. I wanted to create a solution that was proactive, that was better than people getting infected and having to go through a whole course of antibiotics.”

Having heard about UV light’s ability to help stop bacteria in its tracks, Song decided to build a mobile device to carry around with him. “I ordered some parts from Alibaba, and put together a prototype myself,” he continued. “Within a month, I had a working product.”

Please enable Javascript to view this content

Song’s original idea was to make a product aimed at killing bacteria around children, but he realized there was a bigger market than just this niche application.

“It’s been really interesting to see how people have used this as I’ve been testing it out,” he said. “Some people use it on their cellphones; other people use it on their utensils if they go out to eat; other people use it on toilet seats in public restrooms; and others have been using it on their shoes. There are lots and lots of use cases.”

The theory behind the technology is that UV light has been shown to damage bacteria by inhibiting life functions such as growth and the ability to multiply, while a large enough dose can stop its internal repair mechanism, thereby rendering it “dead.” Without testing Cleanty, we can’t make any claims regarding its effectiveness, but Song said the technology has been put through rigorous lab tests in which it was proven “to be about 99 percent effective consistently.”

If you’re interested in getting your hands on a Cleanty unit, you can do so over at Kickstarter, where the campaign has already hit its funding target of $10,000. A single unit will cost you $59-plus and ships in February.

Luke Dormehl
Former Digital Trends Contributor
I'm a UK-based tech writer covering Cool Tech at Digital Trends. I've also written for Fast Company, Wired, the Guardian…
Hyundai Ioniq 5 sets world record for greatest altitude change
hyundai ioniq 5 world record altitude change mk02 detail kv

When the Guinness World Records (GWR) book was launched in 1955, the idea was to compile facts and figures that could finally settle often endless arguments in the U.K.’s many pubs.

It quickly evolved into a yearly compilation of world records, big and small, including last year's largest grilled cheese sandwich in the world.

Read more
Global EV sales expected to rise 30% in 2025, S&P Global says
ev sales up 30 percent 2025 byd sealion 7 1stbanner l

While trade wars, tariffs, and wavering subsidies are very much in the cards for the auto industry in 2025, global sales of electric vehicles (EVs) are still expected to rise substantially next year, according to S&P Global Mobility.

"2025 is shaping up to be ultra-challenging for the auto industry, as key regional demand factors limit demand potential and the new U.S. administration adds fresh uncertainty from day one," says Colin Couchman, executive director of global light vehicle forecasting for S&P Global Mobility.

Read more
Faraday Future could unveil lowest-priced EV yet at CES 2025
Faraday Future FF 91

Given existing tariffs and what’s in store from the Trump administration, you’d be forgiven for thinking the global race toward lower electric vehicle (EV) prices will not reach U.S. shores in 2025.

After all, Chinese manufacturers, who sell the least expensive EVs globally, have shelved plans to enter the U.S. market after 100% tariffs were imposed on China-made EVs in September.

Read more