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Keenon rolls out disinfection robot to hospitals in China and beyond

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The global demand for robots to disinfect hospital wards, aircraft, food-processing facilities, and public spaces far outstrips the supply during the COVID-19 pandemic. Keenon Robotics Co., one of the largest service robot providers in China, has joined the market with its new disinfection robot.


Keenon already makes robots to guide customers, display advertising, and deliver items in hotels, restaurants, and healthcare facilities. Late last year, the Shanghai-based company began rolling out its Peanut mobile robots worldwide. It responded quickly to the novel coronavirus crisis, donating hundreds within China and more than 50 overseas.


“While people are wearing masks, we’re starting to get back to normal,” said Simi Wang, director of global sales at Keenon. “We released the disinfection robot three months ago here in China, and it’s being used in a number of hospitals so far.”


Keenon disinfection robot has three modes


Like Peanut, Keenon’s disinfection robot uses lidar, machine vision, and multi-sensor fusion to autonomously navigate. It can also work with elevators, follow route maps, and collect and share data on what it has done and where.


The robot disinfects with four short-wave UV-C lamps and a liquid sprayer. “It can spray in a 5 m [15 ft.] radius and disinfect a room in 15 minutes,” Wang told The Robot Report. “Studies have proven that it is effective against 99.9% of bacteria.”


“It has three modes,” she explained. “In the first, the user can chose between the UV and the chemical spray or turn them both on.” People should avoid direct exposure to ultraviolet radiation, which is why robots can be helpful for destroying pathogens.


“In the second feature, the robot can choose to navigate on a certain route,” added Wang. “It can remember multiple routes.”


“In the third mode, the robot can operate following the selection of a room for navigation,” she said. “It can disinfect up to four rooms in one mission. This self-navigating mode can be done in a loop and is ideal for most hospitals.”


Keenon’s disinfection robot can also return to a charging unit on its own. “Not a lot of robots on the market have this feature,” said Wang. “Our robot can run for eight hours — or five to six hours if you turn on everything. Some clients have said Keenon’s robots have a longer battery life than other robots.”


Keenon disinfection robot
Source: Keenon Robotics


More robots arriving to serve global market


“Keenon’s disinfection robot is available now, and we have been producing and selling a lot of them,” said Wang. “We’ve received lots of orders from Western markets, but the lead time is a bit longer — four weeks.” The new robot has EC certification, and contact Wang for more information.


Several disinfection robots have emerged in response to COVID-19. Along with supply chain and delivery robots, they will help the mobile robotics market grow to $23 billion by 2021, predicts ABI Research.


Each system takes a slightly different approach. For instance, the award-winning UVD Robot made by the Blue Ocean Robotics subsidiary of the same name relies purely on UV-C, has had clinical tests, and has found global demand.


San Antonio, Texas-based Xenex Disinfection Services yesterday announced that its LightStrike disinfection robot has been proven by the Texas Biomedical Research Institute to eliminate SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in two minutes.


Lithuania-based Rubedos, Memphis-based Tru-D SmartUVC, Slovakia-based Photoneo, Los Angeles-based Dimer UVC Innovations, Singapore-based Digital Safety, and Siemens China are among the companies that have been working on disinfection robots, many with future pandemics in mind. Digital Aerolus is even offering a UVC-flashing aerial drone.


In addition, universities such as Nanyang Technical University in Singapore, the University of Southern California, and Trinity College in Dublin have rapidly developed UV and other disinfection robots, but these are further from commercialization and mass production. Healthcare organizations should carefully evaluate the efficacy of such systems.



About The Author
Eugene Demaitre
Eugene Demaitre is editorial director of the robotics group at WTWH Media. He was senior editor of The Robot Report from 2019 to 2020 and editorial director of Robotics 24/7 from 2020 to 2023. Prior to working at WTWH Media, Demaitre was an editor at BNA (now part of Bloomberg), Computerworld, TechTarget, and Robotics Business Review.


Demaitre has participated in robotics webcasts, podcasts, and conferences worldwide. He has a master's from the George Washington University and lives in the Boston area.


 
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				Eden says			
    

			
    		
    

		
    
			
			
    Good Afternoon! I would like to follow up the inquiry of our CEO Neel Antony to your product. He send a message yesterday. He also give his personal email. Thank you.
    
		
    

		
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				Celia Angulo Belloc says			
    

			
    		
    

		
    
			
			
    Hello,
    
We would like to distribute this Desinfection Robot in Spain. Could you please contact me.
    
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				Susan Liu says			
      

			
      		
      

		
      
			
			
      Hi Yuri, this is Susan from AI Tech. We are a manufacturer of AI sterilization robots. Would you please tell me your email address so that I can send more details of our robot to you.
      
Or you can contact me by email: susan@ai-aitech.com
      
		
      

		
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				Susan Liu says			
      

			
      		
      

		
      
			
			
      Hi Rohit, this is Susan from AI Tech. We are a manufacturer of AI sterilization robots. Would you please tell me your email address so that I can send more details of our robot to you.
      
Or you can contact me by email: susan@ai-aitech.com
      
		
      

		
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				Susan Liu says			
      

			
      		
      

		
      
			
			
      Hi Alma, this is Susan from AI Tech. We are a manufacturer of AI sterilization robots. Would you please tell me your email address so that I can send more details of our robot to you.
      
Or you can contact me by email: susan@ai-aitech.com
      
		
      

		
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				Jake Pascua says			
    

			
    		
    

		
    
			
			
    Hi,
    

    we would like to ask for a quotation for 4 units of this robot.
    
Thanks.
    

    Please mention the following details below as well on your quotation form.
    

    Payment terms.
    
Bank Details
    
Production time
    
Delivery ETD & ETA ( Doha, Qatar)
    
Certifications
    
Catalogue and technical details
    
Cost of Branding.
    
Spare parts (if needed)
    
Repair Kits (if needed)
    
Installation and Commissioning
    
Warranty
    
After Sales Service
    
Whatsapp / We chat / Viber (Contact Number for Direct Query)
    
		
    

		
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				S.Moussly(Mr) says			
    

			
    		
    

		
    
			
			
    Hi
    
I am interested in your disinfection robot for the UAE market
    
please do provide more technical, application information and prices.
    
I also wish to know if this robot suitable for disinfecting large halls or exhibition rooms as well as airports.
    
Thanks and regards
    
		
    

		
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				Susan Liu says			
      

			
      		
      

		
      
			
			
      Hi Jake, this is Susan from AI Tech. We are a manufacturer of AI sterilization robots. Would you please tell me your email address so that I can send more details of our robot to you.
      
Or you can contact me by email: susan@ai-aitech.com
      
My Whatsapp / wechat and phone number: +86 13421340682
      
		
      

		
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				Mani Mittal says			
    

			
    		
    

		
    
			
			
    Good evening Sir,
    
I hope you are well
    
Can you provide the general manual of your product, so that i can see their specification.
    
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Mani Mittal
    
		
    

		
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