Mr CHIPS cleans up in superbug war

May 11 2008 By Heather Greenaway

A HI-TECH weapon to fight hospital superbugs has been created by inventor Arthur Michie, a former Scots policeman.

Arthur, 61, from Clydebank, is testing the electronic talking hand-cleaner in American hospitals.

His system detects when a nurse or doctor enters an area and tells them to wash their hands. The device is called CHIPS - the Clean Hands Infection Prevention System.

It dispenses a special liquid that glows under ultraviolet light only if it is used properly.

It records the number of times someone washes their hands properly to help bosses monitor hospital hygiene levels and warns visitors to clean up before meeting patients.

Cleaner Hands company owner Arthur, now living in Alabama, said: "It is at the testing stage but already 65 hospitals across the US have expressed an interest."