Part II – A solution for a more robust budget
A while back we wrote and shared a solution for using the Oculus Rift or Oculus Quest with multiple users. This is a question that is brought up any time we talk about using VR inside the educational setting. Our solution required a small up-front investment, but was a relatively inexpensive solution that satisfies most users. You can read about it here. Let’s just say it works on a shoe-string budget. Cleanbox is an alternative method of keeping your VR equipment clean.
Recently I ran across a solution and spoke with a company representative from CleanBoxTech.com. While the other solution is designed for the tighter budgets most school districts are bound by, this solution may prove to be better, but requires a more robust budget.
Their product comes in units that are capable of cleaning one, two, or four headsets at a time, with the options for customizable designs. It uses UV-C light to decontaminate virtual and augmented reality headsets. By using directional lighting, it bypasses the need for heat and thus protects delicate electronic equipment. The company claims this process kills 99.99+% of all bacteria, viruses, and fungi, even the areas bacterial wipes cannot touch.
Maybe even more impressive than the cleaning ability touted by CleanBox, is the time it takes to run a cleaning cycle. A mere 60 seconds. The fast cleaning cycle creates a minimal amount of downtime and allows a group to cycle multiple users through in a short amount of time. The light source is rated at 10,000 UVC light hours, meaning it will be years before you need to worry about replacing the light source. The single VR headset unit is priced at $1400, with more options for larger needs.
For more information about the company, visit their website at CleanBoxTech. Go here to read a little more about their company, which is listed as one of the top AR/VR companies. So if you have room in your technology budget or you are looking to please even the most finicky germaphobe, you may want to explore this option as a way to keep your AR equipment germ-free.
