OhmniLabs has introduced OhmniClean, a fully autonomous robot that disinfects using UV-C light. The robot aims to eliminate the risk of bacteria and viral transmission and can disinfect a 3,000-square-foot space in fewer than 15 minutes.
“We developed OhmniClean to address a critical need in the market for fast, simple and effective disinfection,” OhmniLabs COO Tra Vu said in a statement. “At a time when sterile cleaning and infection control are top of mind, OhmniClean is helping to restore normalcy by simplifying existing cleaning processes and making disinfection more intelligent through providing access to efficacy and compliance data. In addition, OhmniClean is made in the [U.S.] so we are able to bypass global shipping and supply chain issues currently faced by other manufacturers.”
While ultraviolet light has been used as a disinfectant for decades, UV-C can reduce overall bacterial counts on high-touch surfaces. Some research has found that the COVID-19 virus is vulnerable to this form of UV light and can be inactivated using OhmniClean’s autonomous UV-C Disinfection solution. Independent testing shows that OhmniClean’s continuous 254nm UV-C Disinfection solution rapidly eliminates pathogens like MRSA, VRE, P. aeruginosa, E. coli and SARS-CoV-2 with an efficacy of 99.999 percent.
The company noted several advantages a fully autonomous UV-C robot can have over human, manual-controlled cleaning systems. The short cleaning cycle time makes it possible for one person to manage a small fleet of disinfection robots, instead of a human crew, turning over several rooms at a time in a quick and efficient manner. An autonomous UV-C Disinfection solution also increases efficacy and reduces human error as well as dependence on human judgement, and eliminates the risk of injury caused by mixing chemical solutions and handling heavy UV equipment. The robot navigates itself in complex environments, so its UV-C lamps can get closer to surfaces than static devices, delivering stronger UV-C exposure.
- Safety measures including motion sensors, remote switches, and an active safety system eliminate exposure to hazardous UV-C light, thus no risk to employees and customers. UV-C is chemical-free and more cost-effective than maintaining HEPA HVAC systems
- Fully autonomous mapping and cleaning that is achieved using OhmniCloud software.
- Built-in data insights, reporting and auditing. After each session, managers can view reports and audit logs to see what spaces were cleaned and when. Disinfection reports are automatically sent to relevant stakeholders such as managers, customers, and/or regulators.
- Swappable batteries and modular parts that make it easy to take apart and transport to different cleaning locations, as well as replace parts, reducing both maintenance and transportation costs.