Evolve Raybotix at Techniquest – Showcasing the Benefits of Automated Disinfection for Spaces
On Wednesday November 3rd, Evolve Raybotix held a special launch event to mark the beginning of SOL’s month-long residency at Techniquest, a science discovery centre in Cardiff Bay.
SOL is our largest and most powerful UV-C disinfection robot with the ability to destroy 99.9% of germs and viruses in as little as seven minutes. It does this through the power of UV-C light, artificial intelligence, and the ability to move autonomously, avoiding obstacles in its path.
We were grateful for the opportunity to demonstrate the many benefits of our technology to a representative group of business owners at such an inspiring venue. So, how does our technology work and how can it be easily operated by anyone in your business? Read on as we reveal the answers.
Convenience - area mapping and automated disinfection
Our largest UV-C Ozone disinfection robot SOL is fully autonomous and mobile, operating at a surprisingly speedy rate, making it easy to manoeuvre and automatically action disinfection schedules in expansive areas.
SOL was in action at Techniquest, operating a cycle without UV-C light, to keep attendees safe. Our robotics engineer Valentina had visited the exhibition space the previous week in order to programme SOL to understand the dimensions of the area it was to operate in.
As you can see in the video below, the upper exhibition floor at Techniquest is a crowded and complex environment. However, having mapped the room on its previous use, SOL had no problem showcasing its remarkable agility and accurate navigation.
In the video, Jeremy Busuttil, Product Support Manager, is demonstrating the robot’s built-in control panel, which allows the operator to perform various functions, including monitoring performance and carrying out an emergency stop.
As mentioned, in order to understand the dimensions and features of a space, it needs to map the area in question. It does this when it is being used in a space for the first time. The time necessary for mapping will depend on the size of the space and the surfaces within. When an area or room has been mapped, it is stored in the robot’s library to be selected from the list of available areas logged in its memory.
The technology SOL uses to map an area is called LiDAR, which stands for light detection and ranging - these sophisticated lasers work on the same principle as radar: using the light of a laser, they map an area and identify objects and surfaces which require disinfection.
Safety - automatic movement sensor and people recognition camera
As prolonged UV-C light exposure is harmful to humans, our technology has multiple inbuilt fail safes to protect operators and other personnel who might not be aware of SOL, or one of our other robots being at work.
In fact, at the SOL launch event, one business owner was keen to understand how far our technology goes to ensure personnel safety. We assured them that the safety features built into SOL are threefold: first, an automatic motion sensor is in place to scan the environment and detect movement, shutting down disinfection entirely if human movement is detected.
Secondly, a people recognition camera recognises the difference between human movement and other movement in its presence. This functionality means SOL can carry out a disinfection cycle while there is movement in its environment. For instance, when SOL is performing a disinfection cycle at a factory running automated machinery, it is able to understand the difference between human movement and other types of movement. This means your employees can be kept safe, without any downtime in production necessary.
Thirdly, SOL and all our robots have an emergency stop function, activated via the prominent red button on the machine’s casing which allows any operator to bring their unit and disinfection cycle to an immediate stop.
AIR MODULE – safe to use around people, pets and plants
The AIR MODULE is a filtration system which makes SOL and NEO safe to operate around people, pets and plants. Easily integrated with SOL and NEO - one of our two smaller, portable robots - the AIR MODULE is an innovation which allows for safe UV-C disinfection while personnel are in the same environment, something which was not previously possible.
With this device, potentially harmful UV-C rays are blocked out, protecting food and even soft furnishings. With the AIR MODULE, there’s no need for any sanitation downtime, as the technology uses neither any harmful substances during disinfection, nor leaves behind any damaging residue when the disinfection cycle is completed. Compared to some manual cleaning techniques and products such as bleach, UV-C light rays are environmentally friendly and safe for use in proximity to humans thanks to the AIR MODULE.
It’s not too late – SOL will be at Techniquest throughout November
If you didn’t manage to see SOL at our launch event last week, and have yet to explore our exhibit at Techniquest, there’s still time! Throughout November, SOL will be in place in its spot at Techniquest in Cardiff Bay.
If you would like to arrange a guided tour from our experts, get in touch today and we would be more than happy to arrange a demonstration to explain more about how SOL, NEO and EOS can help make your space safer.