SELF-CLEANING ROBOTS HELPING REDUCE GERMS AT HOTELS: KNOW WHAT EXPERTS HAVE TO SAY

Guests at hotels expect a welcoming reception, pleasant and well-arranged lobby and a spotless, comfortable room to use overnight during their travels.

But as COVID-19 spread throughout the globe, to ensure their safety and reduce their risk of contracting the virus, guests’ demand for cleanliness amplified. Likewise, hotel managers and cleaning crews need greater safety measures while also ensuring where we stay is sanitary, so we are now turning to self-cleaning robots to help.

“Hotels, while being a necessity for many who travel, can be hazardous given the high rotativity and the diverse origin of guests,” said IEEE Graduate Student Member Hector Azpúrua. “In this sense, guests are not only at risk, but also many hotel personnel who perform the cleansing and room preparation.” Azpúrua further explained that since the beginning of the pandemic, to enhance safety, many robotics researchers and startups have focused on removing the “human factor” of cleaning tasks leading to effective and cost-saving options.

Utilizing robots to do the repetitive and laborious tasks that are required to ensure these areas remain clean helps hotels stay open and keeps everyone safe in the process.

“Cleanliness, hygiene, comfort and appearance are the prime concerns of housekeeping, whether it is done by humans or robots,” added IEEE member Jayakrishnan Thrivikraman Nair. “However, robotization makes it more manageable through accurate scheduling, improved efficiency, accessory footprint, dynamic cleaning patterns, 24×7 assured cleanliness and much more.”