Handheld Plasma Flashlight Rids Skin of Bacteria Instantly

A group of Chinese and Australian scientists, including CSIRO, have developed a handheld, battery-powered plasma-producing device that can rid skin of bacteria in an instant. The handheld plasma flashlight could be used in ambulance emergency calls, natural disaster sites, military combat operations, and many other instances where treatment is required in remote locations. The flashlight is driven by a 12 V battery and does not require any external generator or wall power. It also does not require any external gas feed or handling system. The device itself is fitted with resistors to stop it heating up and making it safe to touch.

The device was created by an international team of researchers from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, CSIRO, The University of Sydney, and the City University of Hong Kong.

Details of the plasma flashlight were released on April 5, 2012 in a study published by the Institute of Physics Publishing’s Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics.