Transparent films for antimicrobial protection of touchscreens advance to Transfer Technology Day 2024 finals
Eleven of the most interesting projects in the Czech science and research sector have competed in the grand finale of the prestigious Transfera Technology Day 2024 competition. Organised by Transfera.cz, the country-wide active association, this event connects the academic world with the commercial sphere every year, facilitating the implementation of innovative ideas in the field.
“This year, the Tomas Bata University became a finalist with its project entitled Transparent Films for Antimicrobial Protection of Touchscreens and developed by scientists from the Centre of Polymer Systems,” says Ing. Ivana Bartoníková, Director, Technology Transfer Centre at TBU Zlín. “We are happy to see that Czech scientists and technologies connect with the business community very well, creating favourable conditions for cooperation. With its very special properties, the film keeps its surface clean, preventing bacteria and viruses from propagating and spreading. Normal daylight or fluorescent light will be sufficient for the self-cleaning effect,” says Prof. Vladimír Sedlařík, the Director of the CPS and project’s chief investigator.
People come into contact with touchscreens several times a day, whether it is at work operating machinery and equipment, in schools, at self-service checkouts and terminals or in restaurants. As during the touch, the user encounters a considerable amount of viruses and bacteria, the new special film can be very useful in protecting them very well.
“Our goal is to reduce the risk of bacteria and virus transmission between individuals and so increase the safety of using touchscreens in public places,” says Libor Vošický, founder of FORTE Sinteractive s.r.o., a company which is collaborating with the Centre of Polymer Systems on the research.
The film is easy to apply, in fact with no or small application limits, and even requirements as sufficient light is the only pre-condition for proper functioning. It is the significant reduction of the risk of transmission of undesirable substances which is the main importance of the film.
“The indisputable advantage of these films is that they act based on a physical phenomenon. This does not involve the release of any other chemicals, unlike with the use of disinfectants which we see more and more frequently,” adds Dr. Martina Pummerová, the scientist and project’s chief investigator.
The Centre of Polymer Systems in Zlín cooperates in this very special project together with its industry partner, FORTES interactive s.r.o, as well as Synpo Company and the Faculty of Chemistry at Brno University of Technology.
The Transfera.cz association, which has been organising TT DAY since 2020, supports the linking of scientific research institutions and the commercial sphere. Its technology database serves as a valuable resource for investors and entrepreneurs looking for new opportunities for their development plans or investments. Tomas Bata University in Zlín is a member of Transfera.cz through the University’s Technology Transfer Centre.
A list of all submitted projects is available HERE.
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About Transfera.cz
Transfera.cz brings together 30+ universities, scientific research organisations and other entities. It aims to promote innovation and the transfer of technology and scientific results into the field. The technology database managed by the association contains more than a hundred projects across the Czech Republic ready for commercial exploitation.
