Researchers at University of Illinois have developed an autonomous UV disinfection robot (UVBot) that can navigate spaces such as insides of homes, classrooms, corridors, shops, and interior of buses. This will enable communities to safely re-open with disinfection measures in place to reduce the spread of COVID-19 through surface transmission. The UVBot uses low-cost manufacturing methods and carries custom-developed navigation software. Its total cost is less than commercial UV lamp robots. With appropriate path plan and speed, it is designed to disinfect all types of utility surfaces. A smart phone application allows users to control the robot remotely, check disinfection map, and add virtual walls in the map. Exposure time and distance for inactivation of 99.9% of Tulane virus, a single stranded RNA virus, similar to coronavirus, have been determined for use with the UBVot. Any organization with minimal engineering capabilities will be able to reproduce the UVBot system.
