The coronavirus outbreak has put everyone on a hygiene alert. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has outlined basic protective measures: Wash hands frequently, maintain social distancing, avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth, and practice good respiratory hygiene.
But what are the best practices if you are sharing immersive technology day-in, day-out?
As any VR user knows, sweat and heat can quickly build up when you’re wearing a headset which can lead to an unhygienic environment. Add to this that headsets and controllers are often shared amongst friends, colleagues—or with the public at events—and you have a situation that would turn germaphobes green.
Whether your tech looks dirty or clean is irrelevant. If an infected person sneezed and a droplet landed on a headset, a person who handles that headset in the same place could pick it up. A study of other coronaviruses found they remained on metal, glass, and plastic for two hours to nine days.
Wiping down the headset after each use is a basic requirement, but there are other measures that can be taken. Here are a few of my top tips for ensuring your equipment is kept as clean as possible.
Wash Your Hands
If you are handling your own tech or using someone else’s, one of the simplest ways of keeping the kit clean is having clean hands. If someone is using your devices, ask them to wash their hands before making contact with your tech. Your hands are one of the main routes that viruses make their way from surfaces to your respiratory system, so keeping them clean is important. Follow these guidelines from WHO on hand washing.
Antibacterial or Antiviral Wipes
Another way to keep your equipment hygienic is to always have some antibacterial or antiviral wipes to hand. They are the cheapest and quickest solution should you find yourself needing to refresh your technology. However, do ensure that the wipes are alcohol-free and non-abrasive, otherwise, they may cause the material to break down. Some of the harsher wipes may cause an adverse reaction with a user’s skin, so bear this in mind if you are sanitizing equipment for yourself or others.
Disposable VR Masks
If you’re out demonstrating VR to the general public or clients, you’ll want them to have an optimal experience. Unfortunately, even those with high levels of cleanliness will have natural oils and grime on their face which will build-up on the foam faceplate over time if you do not protect or clean it regularly.
Disposable covers such as these are perfect at keeping your headset clean and protected for all of those who use it. Each mask is single-use. It is fitted over the ears and across the eyes before placing a headset on and ensures that everyone gets a fresh VR experience every time, plus they’re pretty affordable.
Silicone/Wipeable Faceplates
For VR developers who are using a headset in their office, and not out and about with the public, a more suitable long term solution would be a replacement faceplate for your headset that can be wiped clean. VR Cover is an excellent ‘one-stop-shop’ for all of the popular headsets including Oculus, Vive, Valve Index, Gear VR, and WMR. The store offers replacement head straps and face covers that can be wiped down and even put in the washing machine.
There are also hundreds of other replacement faceplates available online in a variety of wipe-clean materials, but for any VR professional or enthusiast, these are a must-have.
Silicone Controller Covers
VR controllers are another item that can harbor germs, just like a computer keyboard or mouse (which can have 400 times the amount of germs on them than a toilet seat!). It is important to either wipe them down regularly or invest in some covers that can be removed and cleaned as needed. Again, there are plenty of types available online for various controllers, but I prefer the silicone ones as they are easy to wipe down and keep your hands from slipping on the plastic.
While we are all on high alert with regards to hygiene and germs with the current coronavirus outbreak, it is important to manage the hygiene of your VR equipment at all times. This way, you ensure you do not pass on any germs to members of the public, clients, or colleagues. With these simple and low-cost steps, we can ensure that our industry continues to thrive in a safe, hygienic way.
