Danish company UVD Robots shipped robots to Chinese hospitals to disinfect rooms, and when fully deployed, the robots will operate in all Chinese provinces. These robots emit an ultraviolet light throughout an area to kill viruses and bacteria without exposing any human personnel to infection. These bots are remotely controlled by a health worker who remains a safe distance away. Since there are thousands of deaths each year attributed to hospital-acquired infections, automation to prevent disease is a great opportunity for robots
Youibot, another Chinese robot maker, created a sterilization robot in just 14 days based on the demand from the marketplace.
Robots get back to work
One of the issues experienced by Chinese companies, specifically in the factories that supply many enterprises around the world, was how to continue production without human personnel available. The disruption to the world’s supply chain will continue to ripple through the global economy even as COVID-19 cases decrease in China. A survey by the American Chamber of Commerce Shanghai found nearly half of the 109 companies polled said that their biggest challenge in the coming weeks was to have enough staff to run the full production lines in factories. This reality will make ramping up robotic automation even more appealing to reduce costs, ensure continuity and productivity even if the country experiences another global pandemic or other shutdowns.
Drones
Shenzhen company MicroMultiCopter deployed more than 100 drones to many Chinese cities that could patrol areas and observe crowds and traffic more efficiently. Those not wearing masks in public spaces could be identified. These flying robots are also used to broadcast information to a larger area than traditional loudspeakers can. Another way drones are used to fight coronavirus is to spray disinfectant in public spaces. Through thermal sensing, drones are also helping officials with crowd management and to identify people with elevated body temperatures, which could indicate they have the virus.
Japanese company Terra Drone ensured that medical and other supplies were safely transported from Xinchang County’s disease control center to the Xinchang County People’s Hospital without exposing humans to infection. They obtained the first urban drone delivery license issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China. According to reporting by GPS World, using drones speeds up transport by 50% compared to road transportation. In addition to speed, it doesn’t expose human delivery drivers to any risks.
In an outbreak, the scale of coronavirus (COVID-19) robots and drones could become an increasingly essential support for humans in fighting the virus.
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