Hygiene

Most people don't think about it, but in a typical office the filthiest object in the room is the computer keyboard. Go ahead, pry off the keys behind any keyboard you've had for a few months and you're likely to find a mess of dust, food crumbs, sticky coffee stains, and other debris. Cleaning this grimy mess is a tedious task at best, unless of course you're packing the likes of Logitech's new K310 - a washable keyboard designed to be submerged in water so that cleaning it is as easy as doing the dishes.  Read More

Going to the dentist is hardly anyone's favorite activity, but it can be hard for you to see everything that's going on with your teeth in a mirror at home while you brush. The Tooth Guardian concept is designed to help cut down on unwanted dentist visits by integrating a camera into your toothbrush. The camera takes a look at your chompers while you brush, and displays an image of what it sees on your bathroom mirror – the idea is that you would see where you're missing in your daily brush routine, or be able to catch things like cavities early.  Read More

While the sound quality of over-the-ear headphones is generally much better than a set of earbuds, the convenience of using earbuds while on the go can't be denied. Many earbuds are fairly similar feature-wise, so the deciding factors for most people will usually be sound quality and price. But if you're the sort that likes to share with friends of questionable personal hygiene, a feature of iSkin's new earTones earbuds might also enter into the equation – they're the first to boast Microban antimicrobial protection.  Read More

While many movies and TV shows would have us believe that hospital sponge baths are only carried out by nurses at either end of the attractiveness spectrum, the reality is no doubt generally somewhere in between. In fact, I’m sure a lot of patients and even more nurses would prefer such tasks were handled by a robot. Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology seem to have reached the same conclusion and have developed a robot that can autonomously perform bed baths to keep bedridden patients clean.  Read More

In Japan and much of Europe, the Soladey toothbrush is nothing new. It was invented 20 years ago, and is currently used by over 16 million people – you may now pause to make a joke about 16 million people all using the same toothbrush. Just recently, however, it has become available in the U.K., U.S. and Canada. What makes it special is the fact that it uses nothing but light and water to clean your teeth.  Read More

Military technology has once again trickled down to the consumer level. This time in the form of iron-on tags that aim to eliminate the embarrassing problem of body odor. Employing an even more high-tech approach than the flatulence molecule soaking Better Marriage Blanket, the underarm clothing Odegon Odour Tags were apparently developed whilst formulating new materials for special filters to protect military personnel from lethal nerve gas and agents.  Read More

From the “so simple it’s a wonder no one has thought of it before” file comes the self-standing Dews Toothbrush from Ryan Harc. With its ability to stand upright, the design offers a simple solution to the problem of where to put a toothbrush without running the risk of covering it in an assortment of germs which will happily make their way to the insides of your mouth next time you brush your teeth.  Read More

There has been a worldwide increase in the prevalence of asthma and other allergies over the last century. With the biggest jump in cases coming from the developed world, it's been theorized that the rise in such diseases could be the unintended result of the success of modern hygiene in preventing childhood infections. A new study conducted in Vietnam has added credence to the view that parasitic gut worms, such as hookworm, could help in the prevention and treatment of asthma and other allergies.  Read More

LG Electronics has just released a dishwasher with an hygienic edge. Designed to target and improve family health, LG designers incorporated a distinctive UV lamp to prevent bacterial growth and eradicate 99 percent of remaining bacteria after a wash cycle. The UV lamp allows dishes to be hygienically stored inside the tub for up to four hours after the wash cycle.  Read More