LG to launch disinfecting robot

LG Electronics is developing an autonomous robot that will use ultraviolet (UV-C) light to disinfect high-touch, high-traffic areas, including hotel lobbies and hallways. LG Business Solutions USA plans to offer the UV robot to U.S. hospitality, education, corporate, retail, restaurants and transportation customers in early 2021. 

“We hope LG’s first UV disseminating robot will give our customers, and in turn their customers, peace of mind,” said Jeffrey Weiland, B2B robotics team leader at LG Business Solutions USA. “Whether it’s hotel guests, students in classrooms or patrons of restaurants and other businesses, they can rest assured that the LG autonomous UV robot will help reduce their exposure to harmful bacteria and germs,” he said.

To be officially unveiled at Digital CES 2021, LG’s new robot is expected to enable a new standard of hygiene by helping to disinfect high-touch, high-traffic areas. Because of its autonomous design, the robot will be able to move easily around tables, chairs and other furniture, generally irradiating a room’s touchable surfaces in 15 to 30 minutes. The robot should be able to disinfect multiple areas on a single battery charge.

The robot can be integrated into established cleaning routines without requiring extensive staff training or specialists to operate it. Staff will be able to monitor progress via remote updates to mobile phones or tablets. Employee exposure to UV rays will be minimized through a built-in safety lock activated by thermal sensors, pressing of an emergency stop button or via the mobile application.  

“A higher level of disinfection is going to become the new customer expectation in the new contactless economy where we now all live, work, learn and play,” Weiland said.  “LG is bringing to bear its expertise in robotics, artificial intelligence and autonomous vehicles for creative solutions like this to meet specific customer requirements.”

This is the first in a series of new LG autonomous robots planned for introduction in the U.S. during 2021.