US start-up Aeris has developed a copper-coated phone case that claims to destroy bacteria within 30 minutes. Using 100% recycled copper and a proprietary coating method developed by Aeris, the case’s copper ions penetrate bacteria molecules and break them down. The startup has filed a patent for its copper-coating technology. Isaac Lichter, Nick O’Brien and Andrew Medland founded Aeris in March, shortly after Lichter and Medland contracted Covid-19 themselves. All three founders grew up in Evanston in Illinois, where Aeris is now based, and recently graduated from Vanderbilt University. The founders prototyped and 3D-printed their first few cases in their garage. Once they had a working product, Aeris launched an Indiegogo campaign, raising more than USD 16,000 from 302 backers. In addition to the Indiegogo, Aeris has also raised funding from angel investors in the high five figures
Now, the startup is manufacturing its cases in California and has sold about 2,000 units, as well as donated hundreds more to local health care organizations, including Lenox Hill Hospital in New York and NorthShore University HealthSystem in Evanston. Aeris cases come in several iPhone and Galaxy models and cost USD 39.
As Aeris grows its business, the founders are looking for ways to make it sustainable even after the Covid crisis is over. Aeris plans to release other copper-coated products, which could include door handles, water bottles and wallets. Aeris is currently testing its copper solution in a trial for door handles on a major transit system in Canada.
For thousands of years, long before they knew about germs or viruses, people have known of copper’s disinfectant powers. The first recorded use of copper as an infection-killing agent comes from Smith’s Papyrus, the oldest-known medical document in history. The information therein has been ascribed to an Egyptian doctor circa 1700 B.C. but is based on information that dates back as far as 3200 B.C. Egyptians designated the ankh symbol, representing eternal life, to denote copper in hieroglyphs. As far back as 1,600 B.C., the Chinese used copper coins as medication to treat heart and stomach pain as well as bladder diseases. The sea-faring Phoenicians inserted shavings from their bronze swords into battle wounds to prevent infection. For thousands of years, women have known that their children didn’t get diarrhea as frequently when they drank from copper vessels
Copper has been studied by researchers for years and shown to be an antimicrobial material in clinical settings. Copper has demonstrated its ability to eliminate pathogens, such as H1N1 and MERS, in minutes. Researchers reported last month that the novel coronavirus causing the COVID-19 pandemic survives for days on glass and stainless steel but dies within hours after landing on copper
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