As teams start playing sports in the middle of a pandemic, one obvious question arises: How do you disinfect the balls used in the games, since they have the potential to be touched by many players during live action?
One answer is now available from Perform Path, a startup purveyor of UV-light disinfectant solutions for stadiums and venues: A special-built equipment box with built-in UV lights, which can disinfect footballs, baseballs, basketballs and any other in-game equipment in a matter of minutes.
Born out of a project that saw the NBA’s Orlando Magic install UV lights throughout its facility to aid with general disinfection, the Lake Mary, Fla.-based Perform Path came up with the UV-in-a-box product (which it calls the “UV Decon Sports Case”) via some brainstorming with its parent company, Violet Defense, and some interested college programs. Jack Elkins, president of Perform Path, said Violet Defense (which owns the patents for the UV-light technology behind Perform Path’s products) had previously built some standalone “disinfection rooms” for corporate customers, basically UV lights inside a shipping container.
From shipping containers to equipment boxes
“They were used for things like disinfecting PPE for first responders, or masks for hospitals,” said Elkins of the container-based UV rooms. Though there is no test yet that proves UV light can specifically kill the Covid-19 virus, traditionally UV light is seen as the best possible disinfectant, especially when provided in high doses from specialized lighting systems.
According to Elkins, who formerly was director of innovation for the Magic, a local college football team inquired about how it might disinfect footballs, a query that led to some brainstorming and the quick production of a typical-looking field equipment box, but one with some sophisticated UV technology inside.
“It was just a matter of weeks to go from prototype and design to a product,” said Elkins. Perform Path is now selling the boxes for $8,000 retail, with discounts available for volume purchases. According to Elkins the boxes have two UV lights and are lined with aluminum to increase reflection, ensuring that all sides of the balls will be disinfected during the 6-minute process. According to Elkins, the system is as simple as it is effective.
“You just plug it in, close the lid, and set the timer,” Elkins said. Perform Path already has several different inside-the-box holders for baseballs, footballs, volleyballs, soccer balls and basketballs, and is working on adding more racks as more uses are requested.
