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Hitachi-Omron Terminal Solutions Develops Currency Disinfector (PDF Type, 192kByte)

Proven to inactivate more than 99% of viruses which have similar structure to COVID-19

Photo of the Currency Disinfector

Tokyo, September 17, 2020– Hitachi-Omron Terminal Solutions, Corp. (“Hitachi-Omron Terminal Solutions”) today announced that it has developed a currency disinfector to disinfect banknotes on which bacteria or viruses remain live. The product is designed to be used in facilities that handle large amounts of banknotes, such as bank’s cash centers and the back offices of bank branches. Hitachi-Omron Terminal Solutions will start accepting orders for the product on October 1, 2020, with initial shipments expected to take place in December 2020.

With the continued spread of the COVID-19, financial institutions, which are an important piece of social infrastructure, implemented a variety of measures to prevent the spread of infection at their counter facilities and branches, to ensure that services can be provided without interruption. However, a stumbling block in their establishment of effective countermeasures is the time it takes to disinfect the huge amount of banknotes they handle, and these banknotes need to be stored and managed strictly for security purposes.

For example, some financial institutions have exposed collected banknotes to ultraviolet light, distributing the banknotes again on the market after keeping them for a certain period time to ensure that any viruses are inactivated. However, it is difficult to disinfect all banknotes even using this method, because the banknotes are exposed to ultraviolet light in bundles, and the light is unable to reach the banknotes in the interior of the bundle.

The new banknote disinfection device developed by Hitachi-Omron Terminal Solutions exposes both sides of each banknote at the speed of 1000 notes per minute to strong ultraviolet (UV-C) light at a wavelength of approximately 260 nm, which is believed to produce the biggest anti-microbial effect, enabling the device to have a strong overall disinfection effect. (Patent pending)

Dr. Takayuki Komatsu, an associate professor at Aichi Medical University confirmed the device’s efficacy in a validation experiment conducted together with a teaching staff member of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, who specializes in virology research.

Comment from Takayuki Komatsu, Associate Professor at Aichi Medical University:
“Our validation confirmed that more than 99% of parainfluenza virus (an enveloped virus whose structure is similar to that of COVID-19) applied on the banknotes were inactivated. Therefore, we believe that this device is an effective product which is expected to reduce the risk of virus transmission via circulating banknotes.”

Depiction of how the disinfection works where both sides of each banknote is exposed to strong ultraviolet (UV-C) light.

In addition, this product’s disinfection unit can be used for a broad range of sorting operations because it can be used in combination with banknote sorters and integration units developed in-house. Connecting the unit to a bundling machine that is currently under development will make it possible to automate a series of operations related to the banknote disinfection process, such as the bundling of sorted, disinfected banknotes in 100-bill bundles, marking each bundle as disinfected, etc.

The product will be sold simultaneously worldwide, with 1,000 units projected to ship globally in the second half of fiscal year 2020 on a first-come, first-served basis.

Hitachi-Omron Terminal Solutions will seek to provide products and solutions that utilize the technologies and expertise it has nurtured over its history, so that it can contribute to the creation of a safe and secure society.

Starting from September 25, 2020, Hitachi-Omron Terminal Solutions will hold online exhibitions to introduce a range of disinfection-related solutions including the banknote disinfecting device to the customers.

Hitachi-Omron Terminal Solutions, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a member of the Hitachi Group and a leading vendor of cash recycling ATMs in the world. Hitachi-Omron Terminal Solutions provides highly reliable ATMs and bank systems that address real user needs. The company supports a secure, safe, and comfortable society through our prominent technologies and innovative solutions.

For more information about Hitachi-Omron Terminal Solutions, please visit:
www.hitachi-omron-ts.com

For inquiries regarding this matter, please visit:
www8.hitachi.co.jp/inquiry/hitachi-omron-ts/general/en/form.jsp