Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) team collaborated with Ava Robotics to create a robot that uses UV-C (Ultraviolet-C) disinfection technology to kill all forms of bacteria and viruses which stick to surfaces after transfer through the air.
The robot which is created by retrofitting a UV-C light fixture on Ava Robotics’s mobile robot base can disinfect the floor of a 4,000 Sq.Ft warehouse in under 30 mins. The unit has great practical application amid the impending safety restrictions and disinfection drives conducted in the wake of coronavirus spread.
The robot which does not need human intervention to operate can be a common sight on malls, schools and factories while conducting its disinfection run during off-hours.
The robot specifically applies short-wavelength ultraviolet light to kill microorganisms and damage their DNA in a process called “ultraviolet germicidal irradiation.” Ultraviolet light has proven to be effective at killing viruses and bacteria and can be used to disinfect surfaces of coronavirus, as well as it has identical compositions with it.
Considered unsafe for human exposure, the UV-C units do not come in direct contact with personnel at the facility as the robot would be programmed to operate during off-hours in the absence of any staff presence.
MIT CSAIL’s UV Robot conducting pre-programmed surveillance through the GBFB facility
Similar to any other industrial purpose robot, CSAIL’s virus killer can map spaces such as schools, malls and other public areas and can navigate between waypoints including specific areas.
The team which began the development of the robot in early April has currently deployed the unit at the Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB). Their immediate focus is on increasing the capabilities of the robot at the facility as well as eventually implementing design upgrades.
Further on the team will consider adaption to the world scenario such as managing the intensity of the UV lights based on dynamic requirements as well as coordinating with herds of robots to work together and cover larger spaces effectively.
The unit which is currently just a prototype and is not ready for mass production could be seen everywhere from restaurants, schools, malls, warehouses and similar facilities in the near future ushering a new era of guarding robots which assist humankind in its fight against all forms of bacteria and viruses such as novel coronavirus.
