MIT has designed a robot that can
disinfect the floor of a 4,000-square-foot warehouse in just half an hour, and
one day it could be used to clean up your local grocery store or school.
disinfect the floor of a 4,000-square-foot warehouse in just half an hour, and
one day it could be used to clean up your local grocery store or school.
The Computer Science and Artificial
Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) at the university worked with Ava Robotics — a
company focused on creating telepresence robots — and the Greater Boston Food
Bank (GBFB) to develop a robot that uses a custom UV-C light to disinfect
surfaces and neutralize coronavirus aerosolized forms.
Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) at the university worked with Ava Robotics — a
company focused on creating telepresence robots — and the Greater Boston Food
Bank (GBFB) to develop a robot that uses a custom UV-C light to disinfect
surfaces and neutralize coronavirus aerosolized forms.
Development began in early April on
this project and one of the researchers said it came in direct response to the
pandemic. The results were encouraging enough for the researchers to say
autonomous UV disinfection could be done in other environments, such as
supermarkets, factories and restaurants.
this project and one of the researchers said it came in direct response to the
pandemic. The results were encouraging enough for the researchers to say
autonomous UV disinfection could be done in other environments, such as
supermarkets, factories and restaurants.
Covid-19 spreads mainly via airborne
transmission, and is able to stay on surfaces for several days. With states
across the US reporting a surge in cases and no concrete timetable for a
possible vaccine, the pandemic is not currently ending in the near term. That
leaves schools and supermarkets looking for solutions to desinfect areas
effectively.
transmission, and is able to stay on surfaces for several days. With states
across the US reporting a surge in cases and no concrete timetable for a
possible vaccine, the pandemic is not currently ending in the near term. That
leaves schools and supermarkets looking for solutions to desinfect areas
effectively.
While household cleaning solutions can
reduce the spread of the virus, an autonomous robot capable of cleaning large
areas, such as warehouses or grocery stores, quickly and efficiently, might
prove essential.
reduce the spread of the virus, an autonomous robot capable of cleaning large
areas, such as warehouses or grocery stores, quickly and efficiently, might
prove essential.
The researchers used one of the mobile
robots from Ava Robotics’ base and modified it with a custom UV-C light
fixture. UV-C light has proven effective in killing surfaces of bacteria and
viruses, the researchers said.
robots from Ava Robotics’ base and modified it with a custom UV-C light
fixture. UV-C light has proven effective in killing surfaces of bacteria and
viruses, the researchers said.
That is harmful to humans, though. The
robot was built to be autonomous without any direct oversight or interaction
required.
robot was built to be autonomous without any direct oversight or interaction
required.
The team tele-operated the robot to
teach it to navigate around the warehouse by setting up predefined waypoints,
and the team said that it is currently exploring how to use the robot’s onboard
sensors to adapt to changes in the environment.
teach it to navigate around the warehouse by setting up predefined waypoints,
and the team said that it is currently exploring how to use the robot’s onboard
sensors to adapt to changes in the environment.
The goal is for the robot to become
capable of adapting to our world to dynamically change its plan based on
estimated UV-C dosages.
capable of adapting to our world to dynamically change its plan based on
estimated UV-C dosages.
In a process called ultraviolet
germicidal irradiation, the researchers said, the UV-C array affixed to the top
of the mobile robot emits a short-wavelength ultraviolet light that kills microorganisms
and disrupts their DNA.
germicidal irradiation, the researchers said, the UV-C array affixed to the top
of the mobile robot emits a short-wavelength ultraviolet light that kills microorganisms
and disrupts their DNA.
Typically, this process is used in
hospital or medical settings to sterilize the rooms and stop microorganism
spreading.
hospital or medical settings to sterilize the rooms and stop microorganism
spreading.
While the team is currently focused on
a single robot being deployed at the food bank, the team said it was exploring
what “multi-robot solutions might look like in the future.”
a single robot being deployed at the food bank, the team said it was exploring
what “multi-robot solutions might look like in the future.”
