A series of antibacterial laptops developed by computer manufacturer Acer aim to help pupils get safely back into the classroom.
Schools have closed their doors to pupils in various countries worldwide as governments attempt to limit the spread of Covid-19.
Students are currently learning online in Greece, the UK and Germany, whose government points to credible evidence that the new mutated forms of Covid-19 are spreading more quickly among children.
Acer’s five new antibacterial Chromebooks for education are fronted with Gorilla Glass and come equipped with a bacteria-resistant coating for the keyboard, touchpad and palm-rest surfaces.
Gorilla Glass is claimed to stay cleaner for longer than traditional materials while also being less susceptible to odour-causing bacteria. Trace amounts of silver ions that leach on to the glass are said to be able to reduce levels of surface bacteria while also offering other benefits such as improved durability and improved scratch resistance.
And a silver-ion antimicrobial agent has been used to treat other surfaces of the laptop as well including the chassis, keyboard, hinge, fingerprint reader and rubber feet. This coating is said to reduce microbial levels by 99.9 per cent.
The laptops are also claimed to offer further benefits for schoolchildren when working from home, according to Acer. Spill-resistant keyboards and trackpads have been introduced to keep the computers operating even in the event of an accident caused by children taking a drink when attending lessons via video link.
Source: European Cleaning Journal
