News

Antimicrobial keyboards keeping the dirt off kiosks

August 16, 2013

Operator Interface Technology, a developer of rugged copper keyboards and keypads used primarily for commercial applications within kiosks and ATMs, has announced a new line of electronic keyboards outfitted with the bactericidal properties of CuVerro touch surfaces.

OIT's new keyboards, which include separate models with a built-in trackball, NAV Switch and a full numeric keypad, feature CuVerro touch surfaces on the keys and entire front plate. All are sealed to facilitate safe, easy cleaning with any commercial cleaning product, according to the news release, and all are "plug and play" H.I.D devices with no drivers to load.

The company has also added a line of CuVerro models to its MVP Series entry door keypads, which are ideal for hospitals or other public access points where continuous bactericidal action is desirable.

"OIT's new keyboard and keypad line is just one more illustration of the extraordinary potential for CuVerro, today and tomorrow," said Peter Gude, CuVerro's business development director. "We see the company as an ideal partner in our long-term effort to develop a wide range of innovative products for the healthcare market and beyond."

Accoding to the news release, laboratory testing shows that, when cleaned regularly, CuVerro surfaces kill more than 99.9 percent of the following bacteria within 2 hours of exposure: Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus; Staphylococcus aureus; Entrerobacter aerogenes; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; E. coli O157:H7; and Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis.

"Of all the devices you'll find in today's clinical environment, the keyboard may be one of the hardest to clean effectively," said an OIT spokesperson in the release. "Many claim to be 'washable,' but the reality is, these products deliver no proactive bactericidal action between cleanings. Only our CuVerro keyboards can do that."

Read more about kiosk hardware.