“Robolution” in Healthcare: How Robotic Floor Scrubbers are Upgrading Hospital Hygiene and Safety Management and Improving Facility Image

Nonsurgical robotics applications have rolled into healthcare facilities due to the pandemic. They help hospitals reinforce sanitation regulation and reduce human contact by doing tasks like sanitizing rooms and corridors and delivering medical supplies. One of the most important aspects of maintaining a safe and healthy hospital environment is keeping the facility clean and free of bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms that can cause disease. This is where robotic floor scrubbers come in.

Robotic floor scrubbers are autonomous machines that are used to clean and maintain floors in commercial and industrial settings. They typically use a combination of water, detergent, and brushes or pads to scrub and clean the floor surface. They can be programmed to clean specific areas at set times, and can also be controlled remotely. Some advanced robotic floor scrubbers are integrable with building management systems to optimize cleaning schedules. These robots can play a crucial role in keeping hospitals clean and safe for patients, staff, and visitors.

In this blog post, we will discuss the multiple benefits for hospitals to adopt robotic floor scrubbers as part of their cleaning and sanitation efforts.

1. Improving Precision and Efficiency in Cleaning

Robotic floor scrubbers carry advanced sensors and autonomous navigation systems that allow them to clean every inch of a hospital floor with precision and efficiency. These robots use state-of-the-art algorithms to map out the facility and create an efficient cleaning path that covers all areas. By automating the cleaning process, robotic floor scrubbers can ensure that cleaning is performed consistently and accurately, reducing the risk of human error and improving overall cleaning results.

Video: Gausium Scrubber 50 performing Auto Spot Cleaning

Contamination detection & spot cleaning: Advanced robotic floor scrubbers also have the ability to detect and clean spills, dirt, and debris in real-time. This helps to prevent the buildup of dirt and stains on the floors, which can lead to an increased risk of infections and illnesses.

Customizable cleaning programs: Robotic floor scrubbers can be programmed to clean specific areas at set times, and the cleaning plan can be customized with an array of path planning modes to suit specific cleaning requirements.

Real-time monitoring: Robotic floor scrubbers with monitoring systems provide real-time visibility of the cleaning process and consumable status via mobile app, helping to optimize the cleaning process and improve overall cleaning efficiency.

Task scheduling: Robotic floor scrubbers can be programmed to work at specific times, which means that the cleaning schedule can be tailored to fit the needs of the hospital.

Multiple cleaning attachments: In addition to scrubbing, robotic floor scrubbers now are multi-functional. They can be equipped with various attachments for sweeping, vacuuming, and dust mopping. This allows them to handle different types of surfaces and cleaning tasks, so that one machine can deal with the varying floor surfaces of the entire facility.

2.Fighting Viruses and Bacteria

Hospitals are a breeding ground for germs and bacteria. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light the importance of maintaining a sanitized environment to prevent the spread of infections and illnesses. Robotic floor scrubbers can play a vital role in this by providing a more thorough, efficient cleaning and disinfection process.

Fig.1  Gausium Scrubber 50 performing atomizing disinfection

Robotic floor scrubbers can be equipped with disinfectant atomizer or UV-C light which helps to kill harmful pathogens. Robots with disinfectant atomizer spray fine mist of disinfectant solution evenly in the air, ensuring that surfaces are thoroughly coated. With robots taking over floor cleaning and fogging, human staff can take advantage of the redeemed time to clean high-touch areas more frequently, such as door handles and handrails. This creates a highly efficient and effective sanitization process that will ultimately lead to fewer infections and illnesses among patients and staff.

Additionally, many robotic floor scrubbers also have a detachable cleaning unit which can be easily removed, cleaned and replaced. This feature ensures that the robot is always using cleaning accessories that are clean and hygienic. A dirty brush or mop does not clean, it contaminates the floor surfaces with germs and bacteria attached on it. Making sure the cleaning units are clean keeps floors clean.

3.Saving Resources and Costs

Cleaning a large hospital facility can be a labor-intensive, time-consuming and resource-demanding task. By automating the floor cleaning process, robotic floor scrubbers can significantly reduce the amount of time and resources needed to clean a hospital, which ultimately leads to cost savings for the facility.

With robotic floor scrubbers as co-workers, cleaning can be completed much faster than solely done by hand, freeing up staff to focus on other important tasks. Robots can also work around the clock, which means that cleaning can be done overnight or during off-hours when there are few to no footsteps in the building. This also helps to minimize disruptions to hospital operations and boost overall efficiency.

Saving time is saving money. Robotic floor scrubbers, though considerably more expensive than their manual counterparts, can reduce cleaning costs over time with their high efficiency, low maintenance and long lifetimes. They can reduce the need for human labor and lower staffing costs. This can be especially beneficial for hospitals with tight budgets in a time labor costs are surging worldwide.

Moreover, robotic floor scrubbers also help to save the amount of water, chemicals and other supplies that are needed to maintain the facility. Many robotic floor scrubbers are designed to use less water than manual scrubbers. They typically use precision spraying systems that apply water only where it’s needed, avoiding water waste. Some advanced robotic floor scrubbers come equipped with water recycling systems that clean and reuse water during the cleaning process, reducing the need for additional water supply.

Fig.2  The built-in water filtration system of Gausium Scrubber 50

4.Elevating Hospital Image

A clean and well-maintained hospital environment creates a positive impact on a hospital’s reputation. Patients, staff, and visitors expect a clean and hygienic environment when they enter a hospital, and robotic floor scrubbers can help to ensure that this expectation is met.

The appearance of the cleaning robot working around-the-clock will leave an impression on patients that the hospital is taking their health and safety as top concern. By investing in cutting-edge technology, hospitals also manifest their commitment to innovation and overall excellence. Patients and their families are more likely to trust and recommend a hospital that has a clean environment and cutting-edge technologies, which lead to growing reputation, increased patient satisfaction and loyalty.

Moreover, having a well-maintained and clean environment can also have a positive impact on staff morale and productivity. Staff are more likely to feel satisfied and motivated when they work in a clean and hygienic environment, which can help to reduce staff turnover and absenteeism.

About Gausium

Gausium was founded by Edward Cheng in 2013 out of a passion for autonomous driving. It started as a solutions provider of SLAM (simultaneous localization and mapping) and integrated robotics software. Today, Gausium has become a leading company of AI-powered autonomous cleaning and service robots with more than 4,000 successful deployments in 50 countries and regions. Currently, Gausium’s products and services include commercial floor cleaning robots, indoor delivery robots and supplementary accessories like docking stations, cloud platform and application software.