Resgreen Group (RGGI), a leading mobile robot company, announced today that it will focus 40% of its research and development budget on developing autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) fitted with ultraviolet-C (UVC) light for disinfecting plants, warehouses, and other facilities. For more than 40 years, UVC light has been used to break down the DNA or RNA of harmful viruses and bacteria found in drinking water, wastewater, and air. The International Ultraviolet Association (IUVA) believes that UVC light, when combined with other methods, can also help decrease the transmission of the virus SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19
According to a fact sheet from the IUVA, UVC light energy between 200 to 280 nm destroys at least two other coronaviruses similar to COVID-19: SARS-CoV-1 and MERS-CoV in a controlled environment. The effectiveness of UVC light depends on many factors including the exposure time and the ability for the UVC light to reach all infected areas and equipment, which could be hidden in corners and underwater.
RGGI is investing heavily in fully integrating its Pull Buddy AMR, with a 245 nm UVC light and testing its effectiveness in killing dangerous pathogens and reducing the transmission of COVID-19. The UVC Pull Buddy AMR is a low-profile autonomous vehicle with a 360-deg. array of blue UVC lamps mounted on a tall column.
“With more than six million confirmed coronavirus cases and countless plants and warehouses shut down, we decided to shift our focus quickly to reducing the spread of this deadly virus,” says Parsh Patel, CEO of RGGI. “We are combining our decades of automation engineering experience with the latest UVC light technologies to develop autonomous vehicles that can disinfect facilities quickly and safely, protect workers from deadly viruses, and keep factories and other businesses up and running.”
The Pully Buddy can run 24/7 via an opportunity charging system, which allows the vehicle’s battery to quickly and conveniently charge several times during a shift at stations strategically set up along its path. The AMR is fitted with numerous sensors to detect motion that stops the vehicle and shuts off the UVC light, which can lead to serious burns and other health risks for humans.