UofL researchers develops disinfecting robot

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - Researchers at the University of Louisville continue to innovate ways to protect people against COVID-19. The latest development from UofL is a robot that can clean and disinfect areas that may contain the virus.

A Speed School research scientist created the Adaptive Robot Nursing Assistant. It has a UV disinfecting light and can spray disinfectant, allowing the bot to sanitize commonly touched surfaces such as doorknobs, tables and elevator buttons without a human nearby, cutting down on the risk of exposure for healthcare workers.

The robot was initially designed to help nurses with around-the-clock patient monitoring, but researchers modified the design to allow for remote cleaning.

“We have dropped everything right now, because one, this is very critical to our community right now,” Sumit Kumar Das, a UofL Speed School research scientist, told WAVE 3 News, “to Kentucky and worldwide, for that matter. But what we want to do is help in our own way, so that’s why we want to work on this, [and] make it to the hospital scenarios, like ASAP.”

The team hopes to test the bot at UofL Hospital soon.

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