StarStream 'Cleans Up' at the Awards! - David Wardell

Boffins from the University of Southampton (my home city - yay!) have won yet another prestigious award for their invention 'StarStream' - a portable cleaning system that, by using ultrasound and micro-bubble 'smart scrubbers', negates the use of harmful detergents and is effective with just cold water. This latest prestigious award, the S-Lab 'Best New Product of 2014', makes for a hat-trick, having previously won the Brian Mercer Award for Innovation in 2011, and the 2012 Institute of Chemical Engineering Award for 'Water Management and Supply'.

Invented and patented at Southampton University by Professor Tim Leighton and Dr Peter Birkin, StarStream is being developed by Cardiff based Ultrawave Ltd. - industry leaders in ultrasonic cleaning.

John Melville, Managing Director of Ultrawave said: "Ultrawave has been searching for the next big idea in ultrasonic cleaning for several years. We believe that by taking ultrasonic cleaning ‘out of the tank’, StarStream is just that."

"We are very proud of our collaboration with the University of Southampton and delighted to be able to bring their innovative technology to market. The prestigious S-Lab award is another important feather in the StarStream cap and confirms the potential for this unique cleaning technology in many diverse applications.”

The technology is exciting because ultrasonic cleaning is now possible without the use of ultrasonic baths. The portable nozzle can be taken to a specific site for use, or installed as a fixed tap for hand washing etc. The system uses very little water (which can be re-cycled) and no soaps or detergents. Independent testing has shown that usage is 1000 times more effective than water alone.

StarStream is a major step forward, both in terms of cleanliness and reduced impact on the environment.