The robotics market in
The multi-pronged
uses of robots allow them to be used in different domains. From hospitality to
hospitals, a range of sectors are adopting automation to reduce costs, time or
to achieve precision and in some cases save lives. A recent IEEE survey titled Generation
AI 2020 : Health, Wellness and Technology in a Post-COVID World revealed
that 58% of those surveyed in
Guests at hotels expect a hospitable and hygienic ambience during
their travel. Amid COVID-19 pandemic, guests demand standard cleanliness to
ensure their safety against contracting the virus. Therefore, hotel staff need
to take extensive measures ensuring where we stay is sanitary, so we are now
turning to self-cleaning robots to help.
“Hotels, while being
a necessity for many who travel, can be hazardous given the high rotativity and
the diverse origin of guests,” says IEEE Graduate Student Member Hector Azpúrua. “In this sense, guests are not
only at risk, but also many hotel personnel who perform the cleansing and room
preparation.” Azpúrua further states that with the onset of the pandemic, many
robotics researchers and startups have focused on removing the “human factor”
of cleaning tasks leading to effective and cost-saving options.
Self-cleaning robots
are not new and have been utilized in homes, hospitals, hotels and other spaces
that require repetitive and diligent cleaning requirements well before the
pandemic hit this year. But the pandemic has accelerated and expanded robots to
get the job done and keep everyone safe.
3
Self-Cleaning Robot Technologies -
1. VACUUM CLEANING ROBOTS
Vacuum cleaning
robots are a popular consumer tool to help clean and maintain cleanliness in
homes, but they are being utilized in public spaces as well.
Vacuum cleaning robots
use state-of-the-art technology to scan the room and build a visual
representation or map of the space. The robot performs the task autonomously
and can locate the charging dock to recharge after the cleaning has been
successfully performed.
While these vacuums
are not designed to clean germs, they do routine cleaning tasks a person would
otherwise have to perform. Instead, the person can monitor the robot and
minimize the time they need to be a potentially risky enclosed space.
2. DISINFECTANT-SPRAYING ROBOTS
Disinfectant
spraying robots are often used in outdoor areas to spray chemicals that combat
viruses and bacteria. IEEE member Walter Lages explains that
“robots are not vulnerable to the diseases caused by the virus and can be
disinfected by using strong chemicals or even radiation which would be
inadequate for humans.”
Spraying robots work
like vacuum robots and are capable of autonomously navigating a room or space
without human assistance.
“The robot navigates
the environment by using technologies such as SLAM (simultaneous location and
mapping), which itself is based on the fusion of data from multiple sensors
such as encoders, laser scanners, depth cameras and ultrasound sonars.” says
Lages. “The robot itself develops a map of the environment based on its sensors
and then navigates it.”
You probably won’t
find a disinfectant spraying robot in your hotel room, but don’t be surprised
if you see them working in parking lots or in areas outside and around
buildings intended for high visitor traffic.
3. UV-C ROBOTS
UV robots emit
ultraviolet light in the C wavelength range to kill any viruses or bacteria
living on its surface. These autonomous robots can sense dirty environment and
use its powerful rays to kill germs.
“UV lights are often
used in professional cleaning setups to identify dirty surfaces, connecting
both systems of inspection with image processing and then with a UV beam light
to do the job.” says Espingardeiro.
UV light is also considered
dangerous for humans, and technologists have developed ways to sense human
activity and turn off the feature.
UV-C technology, at
present, is mostly used in hospitals and surgical rooms where sterilization is
necessary. “The collaborative robot autonomously drives around hospitals while
emitting concentrated UV-C light to eliminate bacteria and other harmful
microorganisms with a 99.99 percent disinfection rate,” reports the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society.
THE FUTURE OF
SELF-CLEANING ROBOTS
While robotic and
sensor technologies continue to develop, commercial industries like hospitality
may begin utilizing these types of robots to keep their guests and employees
safe in the future.
Over time, cleaning
crews will be able to work alongside and monitor robots to do the dirty and
repetitive tasks that will keep us safe from harmful germs.
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