Cleanbox explains headset hygiene issues

Image: Jon Jaehnig for MIXED

At a recent XR event, Cleanbox COO Lorenzo Vallone explained some of the issues with traditional cleaning.

Let’s be honest: when was the last time you cleaned your VR headset? You can clean your personal equipment as often as you like. But if you were using a headset at work or demoing an experience at an event, wouldn't you want to know that it's been cleaned recently?

How long does it take to clean the headset? What about number two?

Vallone said it takes at least ten minutes to properly disinfect the headset using traditional sanitary wipes. And it needs to be wiped at least three times.

But remember not to use the wipes themselves on the lenses. Most guides also recommend using soap and water, but there are certainly places on the headset that you don't want water to come into contact with.

For people using personal headsets, this isn't too much of a burden – especially if you don't clean your headset after each use. However, there are at least two situations where this setup can become a pain point.

Presentations and performances

我遇见瓦隆是在 Meta 中心全球周。 许多参展商都展示了 VR 硬件和软件，希望至少在传递头盔之前先用湿纸巾粗略地擦过一下。

"In this case, there's a lot of turnover but not much time for disinfection," Vallone said.

Attendees lined up to try out a limited number of three headsets at Quest Metacenter Global Week.

The good news is that the headset (hopefully) didn't actually get too dirty during these brief demos. Still, they deserve a good cleaning.

education or industry

In an educational setting or workplace, more headsets may be used simultaneously, for longer periods of time, and with longer gaps between sessions.

The good news is that there's plenty of time to clean a dozen or two headsets before your next shift or class. The bad news is that manually cleaning a dozen or two headsets takes a long time.

Vallone estimates that cleaning one headset takes 10 minutes, including air drying (a step recommended by most manufacturers), so cleaning 30 headsets wouldn't necessarily take 300 minutes. However, it may still take a person an hour or more to complete.

There are also lots of wipes. Vallone is particularly passionate about the endless wipes used to clean VR hardware that end up in landfills.

Zoom headset hygiene

Vallone has a way to calculate the time and money (and number of wipes) it takes for operations of different sizes to maintain headset hygiene. The cost can be prohibitive.

"We believe this is fundamental to expanding the XR industry," Vallone said. He believes Cleanbox has the answer.

Cleanbox units can clean just about anything, but some models are specifically designed for VR headsets and accessories. | Image: Cleanbox

cleaning box Incorporate UV-C LED lights into VR headset storage boxes and cabinets. Similar technology has been used for years to sterilize home medical equipment. However, Cleanbox is the only company that makes equipment specifically for VR headsets.

Amateurs can make a basic version using commercially available supplies, but the Cleanbox device is designed to sanitize all parts of the headset simultaneously in about a minute. Their units can accommodate 1, 2 or 24 headsets.

Less specialized versions are available for a wider range of devices, with Cleanbox seeing applications in the medical industry and the hospitality industry. Any object that must be moved from one room to another or from one set of hands to another is a candidate.

I don't know if I've ever cleaned my headset

You may not need the Cleanbox for personal use, but once you start thinking about headset hygiene beyond just browsing that section in the device's manual, it's hard not to. So please take care of your headset. The next person who wears it will thank you.

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