The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) has begun to sterilize its hospitals and health centers by using Artificial intelligence (AI) assisted smart robots with Ultraviolet (UV) lights, in line with precautionary measures to enhance the safety of all staff members and patients across the DHA health facilities.
Ultraviolet light has proven to be effective at killing viruses and bacteria through “ultraviolet germicidal irradiation” which damages the DNA of microorganisms of all kinds and can be used to sterilize surfaces of coronavirus as well due to its identical nature to viruses.
Similar efforts are also underway in the USA where MIT’s CSAIL team has collaborated with Ava Robotics to create a robot that uses UV-C (Ultraviolet-C) disinfection technology to kill novel coronavirus on the surfaces to be used at warehouses, schools, malls etc.
The sterilization process coincides with the return of all diagnostic and therapeutic services for patients. Using smart technology makes the sterilization process thorough, efficient and less time-consuming.
Kholoud Abdullah Al Ali, the Project Manager and leader of the DHA’s Dubai Future Accelerators team, said that the Authority has begun using eight intelligent robots to perform UV sterilization scans for all rooms and corridors in its health facilities.
Al Ali said the move is part of the DHA’s ongoing efforts to adopt the latest technologies and smart systems in its operations and procedures, in line with DHA’s strategic plan to keep pace with global developments in the field of Artificial Intelligence.
Al Ali explained the multiple advantages of the UV robot, which can move automatically without the need for human intervention and ensure greater and better coverage of high-contact areas. Moreover, the robots provide 360 degrees coverage and can repeat the same process with high accuracy several times. The robots can follow certain criteria to sterilize all rooms with reports to highlight the implementation of the sterilization process.
In addition to the ease of use of technology in the daily sterilization routine, which is especially beneficial for large areas, the robots are very efficient and can complete exhaustive sterilization of a room within 10 to 15 minutes which makes the process of infection prevention and control highly efficient.
She stressed the importance of this technique, which can be used to sterilize many places such as offices, hospital rooms and corridors, operating rooms, warehouses, housing units and other spaces.
Al Ali highlighted the fact that the DHA has implemented this process and has used the latest technology for the utmost safety and wellbeing of its staff and patients.
