Corning's germ-fighting glass means you can touch an ...

Antimicrobial Gorilla Glass is embedded with ionic silver to help it repel bacteria, fungi, mold, mildew and algae. Silver was the antibiotic of ... NewiPhoneSE,3AppleWatchmodelscoming? Modernaboostershotandomicron Popeye'smemekidnowstatefootballchamp SquidGame:MosttrendingTVshowin2021 BestChristmasgifts2021 PS5restocktracker Corning'sgerm-fightingglassmeansyoucantouchanATMwithlessworry ThespecialglassisjustbeginningtomakeitswayintopublicdisplayssuchasATMsandpaymentterminals,butCorninghopesitwilleventuallygetintoconsumerelectronics. BenFoxRubin March17,20155:00a.m.PT Abug-killingATM,expectedtolaunchlaterthisyear,maybejustthebeginningforCorning'snewantimicrobialglass. JustinSullivan/GettyImages Themodernworldisawashwithpublictouchscreens,fromairplaneTVstoATMstodeli-counterkiosks.Andwithallthosesharedscreenscomesmorepotentialtosharegerms.GlassmakerCorning,whosetoughGorillaGlassdisplaysfrontApple'siPhoneandSamsung'snewGalaxyS6,ishopingtomakeourmore-touchableelectronicsworldalittlelessgrimy,thankstoitsantimicrobialversionofGorilla.Thenewproduct,introducedlastyear,isnowmakingitswayintomorepublicplaces,withCorninginJanuaryannouncingdealstobringthegerm-fightingglasstoATMsandpaymentterminals.TheglassisalreadyonanofficetouchscreenmadebySteelcaseusedtobookconferencerooms.AntimicrobialGorillaGlassisoneofthewaysCorningisworkingtomakeitsblockbusterglassmoreusefulinmoreareas,includingbringinganantireflectiveGorillatooperatingroomdisplays,andstrengtheningthematerialandmakingitmorescratch-resistanttomakeGorillamoredesirablefortheautomotiveandinteriorarchitectureindustries.IfCorningcanconvincepeoplethattheywantaglassthatpreventsthesniffles,itcouldexpandGorilla'sreachwellbeyonditsbaseinsmartphones,potentiallyforuseonsurfacesinhospitals,foodstoragefacilitiesorpublictransportation."Weabsolutelywouldliketolookatthismuchmorebroadly,"saidJoydeepLahiri,whoheadsCorning'sspecialtysurfacesprogram,addingthathiscompanyislookingintointroducingtheglassintoconsumerelectronicsandhealthcare.It'shardtotell,though,whetherconsumerswillpushtomakemoresurfacesgerm-resistant.Foritspart,Corningavoidsmakinganyhealthclaimsaboutthenewmaterial.However,asthefirstantimicrobialglassregisteredwiththeUSEnvironmentalProtectionAgency--arequirementforanyproductsoldasapesticide--itdoesneedtoworkasadvertisedifitpurportstokillgerms. "Wehopeit'ssignificant,buttheseareearlydays." JoydeepLahiri,Corning'sheadofspecialtysurfaces AntimicrobialGorillaGlassisembeddedwithionicsilvertohelpitrepelbacteria,fungi,mold,mildewandalgae.Silverwastheantibioticofchoicebeforepenicillin(that'showsayingsaboutsilverspoonsandsilverbulletsoriginated),butit'snowusedinallkindsofproductstopreventmicrobegrowth.Nanoparticlesofthestuff--callednanosilver--canbeusedonpoultry,rawfruitsandvegetablesandfoodpackagingtokillfood-bornepathogens,areaddedtotoothpasteandcosmeticstokeepthemsaferandareevenplacedinsomesockstofightoffodorandathlete'sfoot."Nanosilverisbyfarthemostwidelyusednanoparticleincommercerightnow,"saidPedroAlvarez,anengineeringdepartmentchairmanatRiceUniversitywho'sstudiedionicsilverforyears.Alvarezsaidtherearealreadyahandfulof"silly"placesionicsilverisused,suchasthoseodor-fightingsocks,whichhesaidlosetheirspecialpowersinthewash.Still,hesaid,puttingantimicrobialGorillaGlassinarefrigeratororotherplaceswherefoodisstoredcouldbeabeneficialwaytohelppreventfoodfromspoiling.GivingGorillaGlassthosenewpropertieswasnosmallfeat.LahirisaidthecompanyspentmillionsofdollarsinresearchanddevelopmenttoaddsilvertotheglasswhilemaintainingthesamedamageresistanceasregularGorillaGlass.Thecompanyclaimsthatbecausethesilverisinsidetheglass,itsantimicrobialpropertiescanlastforthelifeofaproduct. RELATEDSTORIES Corningfiresupnewsuperscratch-resistantglass Corning'sbacteria-banishingantimicrobialsmartphoneglassappearsatCES2014 ForGorillaGlasstesters,lifeisadailygrind(andscratchanddrop...) ForDiebold,thebug-killingglassstarteditonanewpathinthinkingaboutitsmachines,whichcanlastmorethanadecade.TheleadingATMsupplierinNorthAmerica,whichisbringingCorning'sglasstoitsnewestmachines,isnowconsideringanATMthatfendsoffbacteriaandbugsinotherways.ChrisRowe,vicepresidentofhardwareandsystemengineering,saidhiscompanyisdiscussingtheideaofanATMthathasanantimicrobialagentinthePINpadandcouldevenzapthecash--perhapsthedirtiestpartofanyATM--withUVlighttokilloffmicroorganisms."TheCorningpieceplantedthatseed,"Rowesaid.HeaddedthatsomeofDiebold'slargestbankingcustomershaveexpressedinterestinthenewGorillaGlass-facedATMs,thoughthecompanywon'tlaunchthemachinesuntilaroundthethirdquarterofthisyear.Ionicsilverisamongahandfulofdevelopmentsbeingconsideredtoimbuemoreproductswithgerm-fightingcapabilities.Forinstance,Alvarezsaidresearchersarealsolookingintocreatingsurfacesthatreplicatesharkskin,whichdiscouragesbacteriafromattachingtoit.Also,copperisanotherpotentialmaterialtokillingmicrobes,thoughislesseffectivethansilver,headded.Electronicsanddisplayswithantimicrobialcapabilitieswilllikelycomeatanaddedprice,duetoextrametalsorspecialmanufacturingprocesses.Butiftheyactuallyworkinstavingoffacold,theymayfindaplaceinthemarket."Wehopeit'ssignificant,buttheseareearlydays,"Corning'sLahirisaid. Close Discuss:Corning'sgerm-fightingglassmeansyoucantouchanATMwithlessworry Signintocomment Berespectful,keepitcivilandstayontopic.Wedeletecommentsthatviolateourpolicy,whichweencourageyoutoread.Discussionthreadscanbeclosedatanytimeatourdiscretion.