What could be a symbolic image of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis? For many, it’s a striking visual of empty cities with autonomous robots quietly going about their business of sanitizing the streets.
Apart from hospitals and public spaces, there has been a recent rise in the use of disinfection robots in the home. This guide walks through various disinfection robots and whether it’s the right time to purchase one. For those who intend to travel, our recommended products make good portable companions.
Disinfection Robots by Product Types
Depending on the cleansing mechanism, there are different categories of disinfection robots available in the market. They are being sold under various names: bacteria-killing robots, germicidal robots, sterilizing robots, and so forth. While they all might be using different technologies, they can be broadly classified into the following types:
UV disinfection (UV-D) robots
These robots release strong UV rays to kill germs and viruses as they crawl on the floor, under bed mattresses, and across the furniture. Cleansebot was one of the first UV disinfection (UV-D) robots on the market, claiming to kill 99.9 percent of germs using ultra-violet light.
It is necessary to know the difference between these UV-D robots and robot vacuum cleaners. Although both depict hands-free cleaning, the latter use suction pumps and dustbin filters with similar aims as conventional vacuum cleaners. A UV-D robot goes much further: it sterilizes the surroundings at a microscopic level.
Hydrogen peroxide vaporizing robots
Vaporized hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is growing in popularity for disinfection commercially, as even the most resistant viruses at room temperature and low concentrations can be sterilized using this chemical. The robots release hydrogen peroxide vapors as they crawl and are favored in hospitals, large establishments, hotels, and medical facilities.
While most of the vaporizing products are more expensive than UV-D robots, they are very effective in dealing with biocontamination.
Other robots
There are a few other kinds of robots, such as the ones which work as hand sanitizer dispensers. They squirt sanitizer with some kind of touch-free mechanism, for example, using proximity sensors. One of the examples is of this school project in Taiwan. While no commercial applications exist right now, these hand sanitizer dispensers will definitely grow in popularity in the near future.
Should I Purchase a Disinfection Robot?
Not all disinfection robots are for personal use at the moment, although some UV-D product are already available for purchase. Depending on your need now and in the future, they are definitely worth a consideration. The following disinfection robot products (both UV-D types) are immediately available on their respective sites.
Cleansebot 2.0
Cleansebot uses four UV-C lamps to clean for a three-hour running time under any surface. It takes four hours to charge the device. The product is currently available at a steep discount of $99.99, has a limited stock and comes with free worldwide shipping.
Rockubot
Rockubot’s feature specifications list releasing UV-C light at 4050μW/cm² and a claim it can kill 99.99% bacteria & germs. It can be used to kill bed bugs, mites, and infections causing asthma, rhinitis, and other problems. It is currently available in a travel light and music mode, with starting prices of $149.95. A further 10-percent discount is available for online purchase on the site.
Note: disinfection robots represent a very upcoming technology, and some of the products are being sold out faster due to current high demand. More brands and products are expected to hit the market.
There is no doubt that some of these disinfection robots are gaining rapid usage in personal homes. Would you buy one? Please let us know in the comments.
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Sayak Boral –
Staff Writer
Sayak Boral is a technology writer with over eleven years of experience working in different industries including semiconductors, IoT, enterprise IT, telecommunications OSS/BSS, and network security. He has been writing for MakeTechEasier on a wide range of technical topics including Windows, Android, Internet, Hardware Guides, Browsers, Software Tools, and Product Reviews.
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