The pandemic has been a catalyst for service robots. Now Ava Robotics joins the vendors making UV disinfection robots to manage COVID-19-related and other cleaning needs. This robot provides autonomous UV disinfection in workplace settings, including corporate offices, warehouses, and other work spaces.
The robot disinfects both air and surfaces, with a disinfection rate of approximately 9,000 square feet per hour, with, according to Ava, 99% effectiveness against COVID-19. It operates fully autonomous, and provides remote access for facilities managers or other users.
Ahold
Ahold Delhaize USA has conducted a pilot of the robots in two of its distribution centers to support enhanced cleaning procedures during the pandemic. “2020 was an unprecedented year for grocery retail,” said Chris Lewis, executive vice president of Supply Chain for Retail Business Services. “As we delivered an exponential volume of products to grocery stores and their customers to provide the nourishment families need, ensuring the safety of associates in our distribution centers has been a top priority. In addition to other robust health and safety measures, the robots have enabled us to further enhance disinfection procedures at two sites to protect our greatest asset – our people. We were pleased to be the first in the industry to support the testing of this technology.”
Safe work environment
The robots have also been piloted at other organizations, including Steelcase and Boston City Hall. Ava’s UV robots are expected to become widely available and ship in early Q2, 2021. “We initially partnered with Ava when they spun out of iRobot with telepresence robots. And now, with new safety expectations, we’re excited to pilot the UV robot in our Boston Worklife space, learning how it might help provide greater peace of mind for our customers and for our employees as they look to return to a safe work environment,” said Gale Moutrey, VP/Brand Innovation and Global Communications at Steelcase.
Photo: Ava Robotics
