ROME—Cartoni has introduced the UV-C Boxer, a device designed to sanitize production equipment such as cameras, batteries, lenses, Steadicams and accessories with germicidal ultraviolet light to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.
“At Cartoni and in Italy, we were among the first to be hit by this devastating pandemic. During our state-mandated lockdown, we studied a solution to help our industry,” said Elisabetta Cartoni, president and CEO of Cartoni Camera Supports. “The answer was a device that could help production crews and rental houses to stay safe from the virus. Social distancing, masks and gels meet safety requirements, but on production sets where the equipment is constantly handled multiple times during shooting hours by operators, assistants, grips, etc., we think for production to truly ramp up again there is a compulsory need to disinfect and decontaminate gear daily or even several times a day,” she said.
UV-C light, typically between 200 and 280 nanometers, can inactivate bacteria and viruses. In the right strength, it modifies the DNA structure of an infectious cell so it cannot reproduce, the company said.
For decades, UV-C light has been used in hospitals and healthcare facilities and has shown itself to be effective in controlling contamination by microorganisms, such as COIVID-19.
The Cartoni UV-C Boxer sanitizes the surface of film and video equipment with UV-C light, and emits no moisture, gas or powder. It is equipped with 10 medical-grade UV-C (100-280nm) lamps and will sanitize objects across their entire surfaces, it said.
Although UV-C may discolor plastic and ultimately affect the carbon boundaries of the molecule after extreme exposure of over 1,000 hours, UV-C lamps will not deteriorate electronic boards, electrical components or glass elements, such as lenses and filters, the company said.
The total irradiation and microorganism disinfection cycle of the Cartoni UV-C Boxer is five minutes to sanitize each batch of equipment, as metered by a timer, it said.
The newly designed Cartoni UV-C Boxer has a large sliding boxlike container for safe loading and sanitization of multiple pieces of gear at the same time. Like all UV light, exposure to UV-C rays can be dangerous to humans, so Cartoni designed the UV-C Boxer with a safety lock system to avoid accidental UV-C irradiation. If the door to the UV-C Boxer chamber is not safely locked, the UV-C lamps will not activate, it said.
Designed to operate indoors and out, the UV-C Boxer is the right size to be transported by a small van or large SUV. It is equipped with wheels with positive locks and is easy to move around on flat surfaces or in studios, Cartoni said.
The UV-C Boxer is 39.5x26x37.5 inches, weighs 114.64 pounds and has an internal chamber that’s 36.5x21.5x24 inches.
More information is available by emailing the company.
