LG Electronics’ newest autonomous UV robot will soon be disinfecting schools, hotels, offices, restaurants and stores.
The robot, which will be ready for use by early 2021, will use ultraviolet (UV-C) light to disinfect high-touch, high-traffic areas, according to a news release. LG Business Solutions USA will officially unveil the robot at Digital CES 2021.
“We hope LG’s first UV disseminating robot will give our customers, and in turn their customers, peace of mind,” said Michael Kosla, vice president, LG Business Solutions USA, according to the release. “Whether it’s hotel guests, students in classrooms or patrons of restaurants and other businesses, they can rest assured that the LG autonomous UV robot will help reduce their exposure to harmful bacteria and germs.”
Its autonomous design enables the robot to easily move around tables, chairs and other furniture, “generally irradiating a room’s touchable surfaces in 15 to 30 minutes, disinfecting multiple areas on a single battery charge.” The robot can be easily integrated into cleaning routines without extensive staff training. It’s easy to operate, so there’s no need to have a specialist on hand.
Staff can monitor the robot’s progress with remote updates that are sent to smartphones or tablets. A built-in safety lock that’s activated by human motion detection sensors will help minimize employee exposure to UV rays. The safety lock also can be activated by pressing an emergency stop button or via the mobile app.
This release is the first in a series of new LG CLOi autonomous robots that will be introduced in the U.S. next year. “A higher level of disinfection is going to become the new customer expectation in the new contactless economy where we now all live, work, learn and play,” Kosla said, according to the release. “LG is bringing to bear its expertise in robotics, artificial intelligence and autonomous vehicles for creative solutions like this to meet specific customer requirements.”
