Will Covid-19 speed up the use of robots to replace human workers?
Can robots be effective tools in combating the COVID-19 pandemic?
For better or worse the robots are going to replace many humans in their jobs, analysts say, and the corona virus outbreak is speeding up the process. Covid-19 is going to change consumer preference and really open up new opportunities for automation. We have already seen robots being deployed for disinfection, delivering medications and food, measuring vital signs, and assisting border controls.
Companies large and small are expanding how they use robots to increase social distancing and reduce the number of staff that have to physically come to work. Robots are also being used to perform roles workers cannot do at home.
Walmart, America’s biggest retailer is using robots to scrub its floors. Robots in South Korea have been used to measure temperatures and distribute hand sanitizer. Groceries and restaurants offering takeaway are using these machines more too. Fast-food chains like McDonald’s have been testing robots as cooks and servers.
Once a company has invested in replacing a worker with a robot it’s unlikely the firm will ever rehire for that role. Robots are more expensive to create and integrate into businesses but once they are up and running, robots are typically cheaper than human workers. Artificial intelligence is being developed that can replace school tutors, fitness trainers and financial advisers.
How robotics is used to fight Covid-19 battle?
· The Shenzhen-based company has developed a smart helmet that can detect people with a fever up to five metres away, sounding an alarm when anyone with a high temperature comes close. features an infrared temperature detector, an augmented-reality visor, a camera that can read QR codes, plus wifi, Bluetooth and 5G so it can beam data to the nearest hospital. Equipped with facial recognition technology, the helmet can also display the subject’s name on the AR visor, as well as their medical history. According to the developer, it would only take officers two minutes to scan a queue of more than 100 people with the help of the helmets.
· The robots, developed by China Mobile’s Shanghai Branch, are used for tasks such as disinfecting and cleaning patient areas and delivering medicine to reduce the risk of cross-infection and ensure the safety of medics
· An Italian company came to the rescue after a hospital ran out of crucial valves for its ventilators. The first 3D prototype was ready within six hours, with 100 working valves printed and supplied to the hospital within a day.
· The phone box-like cubicles use negative air pressure to prevent harmful particles from escaping outside. Each patient steps into the booth for a rapid consultation via an intercom, while samples can be safely taken by swabbing their nose and throat using arm-length rubber gloves built into the panel. The whole process takes about seven minutes and the booth is then disinfected and ventilated.
· Coders have joined the battle against coronavirus, racing to develop apps. Using the wealth of data collected by the government’s testing programme, the app alerts users when they come within 100 metres of a location visited by an infected person. It also allows people to see the date a coronavirus patient was confirmed to have the disease, along with that patient’s nationality, gender, age and the places the patient visited
· In China, the world leader in drone manufacturing, the mini choppers have been mobilized for everything from fever detection in crowds to disinfecting public spaces, to delivering supplies to far-flung location. In France and India the police have started using drones to help enforce its lockdown, monitoring parks and public spaces to make sure people are not leaving their homes for non-essential trips
Opportunities lie in intelligent navigation and detection of high-risk, high-touch areas, combined with other preventative measures. New generations of large, small, micro robots that are able to continuously work and clean (not only removing dust but also truly sanitizing/ sterilizing all surfaces) could be developed.
Wrapping Up
The deployment of social robots can present unique opportunities for continued social interactions and adherence to treatment regimes without fear of spreading more disease
Overall, the impact of COVID-19 may drive sustained research in robotics to address risks of infectious diseases. Without a sustainable approach to research and evaluation, history will repeat itself, and technology robots will not be ready ready to assist for the next incident.
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