This virus-fighting robot cleaner uses UV light to actively disinfect offices, public areas, and other commercial sites across the country
6 July 2020
| Last updated on 6 July 2020
Source: Fab Lab Bahrain
The AI-powered machine can speak in 12 languages, check for body temperatures, and even administer medicines.
In response to the ongoing pandemic, Bahrain's Ministry of Youth and Sports Innovation Centre collaborated with Fab Lab Bahrain to introduce a new robot that helps fight against COVID-19.
The autonomous machine uses ultraviolet (UV) light to disinfect its surrounding areas, and has been proposed to be used for public spaces and offices. Following a process known as "ultraviolet germicidal irradiation", short-wavelength UV is emitted to kill Coronavirus particles by disrupting its genetic material.
Most viruses, including COVID-19, are coated with a thin membrane that can be damaged by UV rays. The radiation released by UV light effectively damages COVID-19's DNA and stops its ability to replicate.
.png?itok=3Lpysmaz "Meet the Robot Disinfecting Offices and Public Spaces in Bahrain")
Photo for illustrative purposes only.
The anti-COVID robot can speak in 12 languages, check for body temperatures, administer medicines, serve meals to patients, and sterilize treatment rooms thanks to its beams of UV light.
It's also capable of identifying patients using advanced facial recognition and can respond to voice commands from people.
These AI-powered machines would prove to be a helpful resource to frontline health workers in Bahrain who are dealing with the Coronavirus health crisis.
Dr. Waleed Al Manea, from Bahrain’s Health Ministry, called the technology a "medical revolution".
"We have started using the robots in the isolation and treatment facilities as part of the experimental phase to use AI in the health sector," he said.
"It is certainly a new medical revolution and we want to see how this benefits patients and staff. This new technology will help doctors and nurses as they can evaluate the effectiveness of the robots and help incorporate them in their daily work," Dr. Al Manea added.
Bahrain plans to roll out the robots to hospitals across the kingdom following its initial testing period.
The Ministry of Health reported 510 new COVID-19 cases and 690 recoveries.
