This is not necessarily a flashlight issue; though it could be. The general issues are overlapping. I am really hoping that the forum can provide some knowledge and ideas for this application. This first post is also going to be a long - lets get started on the idea - post.
Let me explain the reason I am starting the thread (they are somewhat selfish). I have some significant problems with my internal plumbing (abdomen, not house). Generally, multiple hernias capable of blocking my intestines, and everything being messed up by adhesions attaching all over the place. The adhesions are the results of many masked men (and one woman) opening me up for various reasons over the years. I am running out of essential parts. The adhesions can block the intestines; this can cause an annoying death. The adhesions are a significant problem and lots of companies are trying for solutions. None particularly successful. I have been told by a surgeon I should not attempt correcting things because of a significant chance of a really bad outcome. But what is happening makes life rather miserable (you really don’t want the details) and can change without warning. In a crises, I would get the local hospital surgeons in an under equipped local hospital vs a scheduled event with the pros from Dover in the University center (100 miles away) that is specific to working on these sorts of things.
EDIT - the useful range for the UV is a specific point of 207 nm. My posts have said 207 - 222. That is incorrect. My apologies. I saw a later paper that pointed to 207 as the prefered sweet spot.
Let me now explain the 207 - 222 (edit NOT up to 222 nm light), and why I care. UV is widely used to destroy pathogens on surfaces, water treatment, etc. However, these applications are all at lower frequencies (UVA and UVB) that are easy to generate light at high power , but can injure operators. Skin (i.e., sun) burns and require eye protection. There are fixed devices and actually robots that will sterilize an unoccupied room (e.g., operating room). It is essentially impossible with current technology to insure a sterile environment throughout an operation. The UV can’t be used with people in there.
Why it is important. As I noted, you can not keep an operating room sterile. If there were a UVC source that is harmless to humans, but deadly to various really tiny bad things, there could be a major change in how things work. A statistic for open abdomen surgery: around 10% contract infections during the operation (remember the part about, you can’t keep the room sterile). Because they are hospital acquired, they have a strong tendency to be caused by offensive pathogens with significant antibiotic resistance. Survival rate for those infected is not real good.
If I can find, or build, a device that will provide the appropriate frequency light (207 - 222 nm) at sufficient power to be able to essentially provide a sterile “tent” around the open abdomen. This would provide continuous destruction airborne contamination, clothing, inadequately sterilized tools or materials, even the things used to reseal the opening. This should provide a very significant improvement on surviability for surgery of all sorts.
What I want to look into is the use of LEDs (or another light source) in the lower C band spectrum for use on virulent biological destruction in a surgical environment. Actually, since this range of UV is not harmful to people, it could literally revolutionize medical treatment. From flu in the office to open heart surgery. This can be a major mechanism for change.
The medical establishment is strongly oriented toward drugs for killing harmful organisms. There is research into new drugs for killing infections. But I see relatively little published (accepted) work on using various wavelengths of light in lieu of drugs.
This is a significant use of the UV spectrum (and light sources). UV in this range can kill fungus, bacteria, and viruses and other essentially incurable (with drugs) bio-hazards. This can be a very useful and a ground breaking forum for this use. And you can even make a flashlight out of the results for some applications. Currently the most comm approach to UV seems to be Xenon bulbs. These are difficult to implement because of power supplies and other considerations. The advantage with Xenon is 360 degree emissions. But the frequencies are all wrong. The sources would have to be heavily filtered, and their may not be much left after filtering. There are other similar systems. Excimer lamps, various mixtures of gases in the bulb, and taking a blue laser and striking a crystal to down-convert the wavelength by 2-1. LEDs do not seem to have a real prominent position s sources. There are some LED in the generally correct wavelength. The are very expensive and seem to be fairly low delivered radiant energy. I m still trying to gather information on these.
What I would like to do is develop a forum category for this sort of application to capture the “herd knowledge” concerning the use of UV-C. It can be viewed/implemented in sort of a flashlight context. You could use a handheld light and wave it around the abdominal cavity. But a broader mode of the application would seem to be called for. This subject could be very helpful in establishing a new and necessary application of both flashlight and LED knowledge. This can become a knowledge site for a rather broad use of short wave light.
A flashlight format could play a significant component to the topic. A handheld device can be useful for focused use.
A broader scope for non-handheld can be more useful.
Expertise and information for this frequency range can be very useful.
Personally, I have some other goals. I have a large room in the basement (sealed and unused) that has fungus intrusion. I need to fix that. A mobile device (i.e., bare bones robot platform) with a 360 degree range to clean the room would be very useful. I suspect there are a significant number of users that have this problem.
I do have some extensive surgery, fighting with the established medical “rules and herd knowledge” to make use of the developed hardware will be exciting. But I would really like to survive by bringing all the technology I can to the operating table. With all the the arguments from medicine of “we can’t allow that”. I am likely to cause a serious argument before an operation. Big medicine is rather hidebound.
Personal sanitizers for hands and materials (not the alcohol based squirters) can have a significant impact on users in avoiding infection from the various extant threats. Think flashlight in a box. The various liquid “hand sanitizers” have marginal utility. 207 nm UVC is way more effective and probably much cheaper overall to operate. A bit of electricity vs continually buying gallons of “stuff” from big chemical manufacturers.
A room “scan” with UVC can be a significant advantage for resisting contagion in the home, hospital, or operating theater. Not to mention that chicken you just brought home. The medical industry just needs to understand. And the government need to allow knowledgeable patient input to what is and is not acceptable. Put eye shields on the patient and flash the room periodically. One could literally illuminate every room. A monstrous advance on infection control.
I would be happy to engage in a discussion on this topic. I realize it is not a normal topic, but I think there is a real need to direct the herd knowledge at the problem. I look forward to sharing and discussing possible solutions to the outstanding need.