Labworx

An Emirati robotics company has designed and launched a fleet of new automatons to help in the fight against COVID-19. Reliable Robotics, which is based in Dubai, has developed four robots with distinct capabilities, each of which can minimise human contact, aid social distancing and limit the spread of coronavirus.

The innovative technology could become a blueprint for how robots can help in a pandemic, both with regard to the current COVID-19 crisis and any future outbreaks that the human race may have to contend with. In any case, the pioneering efforts of Reliable Robotics look to have set a promising precedent going forwards. .

The automaton A-Team.

The contagious nature of the virus has meant that economies and industries around the world have ground to a halt, as people seek to self-isolate and reduce their interaction in close quarters with others. Aware of the unique pressures and challenges thrown up by this unprecedented state of affairs, the Reliable Robotics team have developed four different robots capable of performing unique tasks:

• Fever Detection and Hand Sanitiser Dispenser Robot. Equipped with highly sophisticated thermal imaging and optical sensors, this unit can detect when a human with a high probability of a fever is in close proximity. It is also capable of dispensing hand dispenser in a contactless manner; all users need to do is place their hands beneath the dispenser, and a sensor will detect their presence and dispense the gel.
• Food and Medicine Delivery Robot. This unit is capable of carrying items on a two-tiered tray to patients, doctors and other medical staff. It is designed for use in hospitals and quarantine centres where limiting contact between humans as much as possible is of paramount importance in preventing the spread of the disease. .
• COVID-19 Awareness and Telemedicine Robot. This unit is fitted with a high-resolution screen which allows doctors and other medical professionals to dispense advice and communicate remotely both with one another and with patients. The unit is also programmed with a Q and A session relating to coronavirus symptoms and advice on how to prevent becoming infected. .
• Disinfection Robot. The disinfection robot is fitted with a hose and spray nozzle, connected to a dry mist solution that has been specifically developed to eradicate traces of the virus. Given that COVID-19 can survive on hard surfaces for a number of days, the disinfection robot can be deployed to regularly sterilise public spaces in shopping malls, banks, offices, airports and hospitals, among other locations which experience high amounts of footfall.

“We have launched four different robots with unique capabilities aimed at maximising the protection of the public as well as the health care workers and limiting their direct contact with COVID-19 patients,” explained Aswin Sarang, who is head of Robotics and Artificial Intelligence at Reliable Robotics. Given the delicate nature of the current situation, their services are likely to be in high demand from both the public and private sector in the months and years ahead.

DOWNLOAD PDF