Scientists in Singapore have invented a disinfecting robot that imitates human gestures to help cleaning staff overwhelmed since the start of the coronavirus crisis. The "XDBOT" is a rectangular box-shaped robot mounted on wheels and armed with an articulated arm which can be operated remotely. He can reach places that are difficult to clean with great dexterity, such as the space under beds or tables.
Designed by researchers from Nanyang Technological University (NTU), a university in the country of Southeast Asia, it is also equipped with a tube which can spray disinfectant quickly on large surfaces. The robot can be controlled remotely by computer or tablet, reducing the risk to staff of being infected with the virus that has killed more than 140,000 people worldwide.
"By using our new robot remotely, a human operator can precisely control the disinfection process (...) without any contact with surfaces," said Chen I-Ming, a scientist from NTU who led the project.
Stand out from other robots
This robot differs from other robots on the market, mainly intended for cleaning floors and which cannot disinfect objects of various shapes. The XDBOT has been tested on a university campus and its designers want to try it in public places and hospitals. Singapore faces second wave of Covid-19 infections, and on Thursday reported a record increase in the number of contaminations in 24 hours, mostly in crowded homes where foreign workers are housed, many in the city -State.
The Ministry of Health on Thursday reported 728 new cases in 24 hours, the largest increase in a single day, bringing the total number of reported infections to 4,427, including 10 fatal. From Thailand to Israel, via the United States, robots are used more and more for various tasks in order to fight against the coronavirus by preventing humans from contagion.