The robots can help to safely clean high-traffic areas -Image:
Adobe
The robots perform the task of spraying disinfectant at
consistent rates and speeds, enabling human cleaners to focus on
manually scrubbing biofilms and residues.
A developer of autonomous ground robots that safely disinfect
high-traffic spaces has been announced winner of MIT’s
inaugural Collaborative Intelligence Competition. motorCortex.ai
beat out seven other finalists to win the $50,000 prize.
Launched by MIT last fall, the competition forms part of a
larger educational programme conceived by MIT’s School of
Engineering dean Anantha Chandrakasan.The initiative aims to
advance the development of artificial intelligence (AI) to
complement, collaborate with, and augment humans versus replacing
them.
Robot cleaners
According to MIT, as Covid-19 necessitates the frequent
disinfection of public spaces, motorCortex.ai’s offering
addresses companies’ multiple cleaning challenges. Manual
application of sprayed disinfectants requires careful attention to
ensure the correct “soak time†to neutralise pathogens,
and disinfectant toxicity raises safety concerns for the custodian
due to frequent exposure.
“AI and computational technologies will be a transformative
force in our society for the next decadeâ€
Additionally, companies are struggling to find and train
sufficient staff to perform this critical function due to an
increase in the sanitisation frequency. The autonomous disinfection
robots work collaboratively with cleaning staff to address these
challenges.
The robots perform the task of spraying disinfectant at
consistent rates and speeds, enabling human cleaners to focus on
manually scrubbing biofilms and residues. They also disinfect
surfaces with UV-C light and are equipped with sensors to identify
humans in its proximity while maintaining a correct distance for
safe application.
Originally published by
SmartCitiesWorld news team | June 2, 2020
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