LG Electronics has released a disinfection robot that will help curb the spread of COVID-19. The LG Cloi Disinfectbot has UV-C ultraviolet light lamps on its sides. The wavelength of the ultraviolet light ranges between 100 and 280 nm, which makes the robot effective in killing germs, the company said.
In tests conducted by Korea Conformity Laboratories, a research institute in Seoul, the UV-C lamp on the robot proved to be 99.9% effective in killing coliform bacteria and Staphylococcus aureus within a one-meter radius.
The disinfection robot is 160 centimeters tall and features technology to overcome obstacles, and is designed to disinfect objects and areas that are accessible by hand, LG added. LG will deploy the robots in various facilities such as hotels, hospitals and schools, where there are many separate and independent spaces.
LG Electronics’ disinfection robots will help ease the workload of healthcare workers ata time when disinfection is more important than ever due to the global health crisis brought on by the pandemic . The company is also developing an alternative version that sprays disinfectant instead of having a UV-C lamp. This version will be more suitable for places with more open spaces such as offices, restaurants and transportation stations.
It is worth noting that South Korea has seen a surge in COVID-19 cases this month. Last Tuesday, Seoul announced a new curfew after 9 p.m. for restaurants, bars and cafes. In addition, gyms and karaoke bars were ordered to close completely. On the same day, the country had 38,755 confirmed cases and 552 deaths.
In November, LG began testing a service at its Seoul headquarters, allowing employees to order food from the convenience store via the chat app “KakaoTalk” and have it delivered by a robot.
