Will ultraviolet robots be the new European weapon against the virus?
What the newspaper El Pais writes about the use in hospitals of Spain of stabilizing robots received by the EU Commission
200 Spanish hospitals, writes El Pais , ask the Commission to receive automatic machines that sterilize spaces based on radiation
Around 200 Spanish public hospitals have taken a step forward to be among the first to receive so-called "sterilizing robots" from the European Commission, devices that combine two well-known technologies – ultraviolet radiation and robotics – in a new use with enormous potential in times of pandemic: the sterilization without human intervention of spaces at risk of coronavirus contamination.
"Robots help limit the spread of the virus, while protecting healthcare workers and patients and preventing cleaners from the risks associated with the disinfection process," the European Commission said at the meeting of its Health Security Committee of the September 24, the minutes of which were published yesterday. These devices are able to eliminate 99.99% of the pathogens present in an enclosed space.
The fact that this was the first item on the agenda gives an idea of the EU's interest in promoting the project. These machines “have been used successfully in hospitals in Europe and around the world,” the Commission replied in writing yesterday. “They can help centers meet sterilization requirements efficiently,” he added.
The first sterilization robots included in the plan are a development of the Danish company Blue Ocean Robotics in collaboration with hospitals in the Odense region. In the EU, it was the Directorate-General for the Information Society – whose objectives include supporting European industry in the new era of digitization – that promoted devices. On 23 July, the Directorate-General for Health launched the pilot project, which envisages "the purchase of around 200 robots to be donated to European hospitals," according to the report. In the EU and the UK – which continues to participate in these EU programs – there are over 5,000 hospitals. A first survey of them received 500 positive responses, according to the commission.
The Ministry of Health explained yesterday that "in Spain the information has been transferred to the Inter-territorial Council of the National Health System". "About 200 Spanish hospitals have become interested in this technology," a spokesman explained yesterday. The Commission ensures that "the robots will be distributed according to the epidemiological situation and the needs expressed by each country".
Spain was one of the countries that showed the greatest interest in the initiative. Others, such as Sweden and Germany, have asked for more information for the time being. "We have not seen any studies on the effectiveness of this type of robot," said the Swedish representative on the Committee. The German representative was more reticent and recalled the risks of radiation. The committee replied that "the robots can be operated from outside the room and the operator will under no circumstances be exposed to UV rays."
“Without being a new technology, the big advantage is that they emit radiation from self-contained devices that are safe. The difficult thing is that they can adapt to the daily dynamics of many services in a large hospital, ”explained a head of technology in a public hospital in Madrid yesterday.
The Commission wants to deliver the first 50 units in November and then “follow the deliveries at the rate of 50 units per month”. In any case, this volume is only a first step, as a hospital of about 300 beds would require a dozen robots.
In written responses, a manager of Blue Ocean Robotics points out that although there are other machines that emit ultraviolet rays, “the robots move autonomously, which allows them to reach dark areas that are not covered by static devices. “A robot takes about 10 minutes to sterilize a hospital room,” he says.
Dangerous on the beach, an ally in the operating room
The earth is bombarded with ultraviolet rays from the sun, but only a small part of it reaches the surface through the atmosphere. It is harmful to humans, which is why it is necessary to protect yourself on the beach and in the mountains with sunglasses and protective creams to prevent burns. It also causes skin cancer. Viruses and bacteria also do not adapt to radiation, hence their sterilizing potential in hospitals.
(Extract from the foreign press review by Epr)
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/innovazione/robot-ultravioletti-saranno-la-nuova-arma-europea-contro-il-virus/ on Sat, 17 Oct 2020 05:36:47 +0000.