Leading Japanese Facilities Management Company Optimizes Hospital Cleaning with Scrubber 50 Pro

Challenge

Nihon Environment Management Co., Ltd., a leading Japanese facilities management company, faced a number of challenges with regards to cleaning Saiseikai Kano Hospital.

Relocated and reopened in June 2022, Kazo Hospital provides advanced and emergency medical care as a regional medical support core hospital with 304 beds. Nihon Environment Management has been in charge of the general management and facility maintenance of  the Hospital since its reopening.

The biggest headache was the large floor area to be cleaned, which amounts to 23,052.15 square meters (24, 8131 square feet). A team of 25-26 people worked on the cleaning operation at the Hospital from 6:30 to around 20:00. The team often had to work overtime to clean the large space of the floor.  This would affect the efficiency and effectiveness of cleaning operations, creating scheduling difficulties for managers.

Solution

In an effort to overcome the above-mentioned challenge and boost efficiency and digitalization of the cleaning operation, Nihon Environment Management decided to introduce Scrubber 50 Pro from SoftBank Robotics.

Scrubber 50 Pro, developed by Gausium, is a cutting-edge robotic floor scrubber powered by artificial intelligence. It is equipped with a state-of-the-art autonomous navigation system and a range of sensors, including LiDAR, laser, 3D depth cameras, and an RGB camera. This allows the robot to map out the facility and clean designated areas at predetermined times. The cleaning progress can be tracked remotely through the Gausium mobile app.

With a high cleaning efficiency, Scrubber 50 Pro can significantly lighten the workload for the cleaning staff. At Kazo Hospital, it was programmed to clean the floor surfaces on the first and second floors.

• ≤1,800 m²/h Cleaning Efficiency
• Autonomous Navigation
• Remote-control App
• Customizable Cleaning Plan

Result

The introduction of the Scrubber 50  Pro was a game-changer for Saiseikai Kazo Hospital. The hospital staff reported that the robot was a reliable cleaning solution, and they were happy with the results.

Carefree Autonomous Operation

Mr. Shigeo Suzuki, Director of Expense Management Division of the Hospital, initially had reservations about the Scrubber 50 Pro due to fears that the robot would collide with patients and staff. There was also concern that the robot’s wet scrubbing would leave water on the floor, leading to potential slip-and-fall hazards.

The hospital’s worries have been eliminated by the successful performance of Scrubber 50 Pro. The robot detects and avoids obstacles in real time, so that it can run flexibly and safely in dynamic environments. While scrubbing the floor, Scrubber 50 Pro dries the floor simultaneously with its vacuum and squeegee, so that no water stain is left on the ground.

Mr. Hirokazu Usami, Managing Director and General Manager of, Nihon Environment Management Co., stated,

“We feel that the Scrubber 50 Pro is a safe and secure cleaning solution. The staff at the hospital has told us that they are not worried at all when the robot is cleaning.”

Optimized Workforce Allocation

After introducing the robot, the cleaning team could free up a significant amount time for four staffs from cleaning the floors, and reallocate the saved time to other cleaning tasks that require finer skills and efforts. This leads to a higher level of efficiency and quality in hospital cleaning. It also minimizes overtime and promotes a well-planned schedule, ensuring high-quality results and a healthy work-life balance for cleaning staff.

Ms. Miki Owada, the cleaning staff from Nihon Environment Management Co., said:

“The introduction of the Scrubber 50 Pro has allowed us to spend more time on other tasks, such as cleaning the handrails and the elbow rests on the sofa. We can now take more time for cleaning such places carefully.”

Implications

Instead of replacing human workers, robotic solutions can work in harmony with people and create better job satisfaction. They can take over some of the more physically demanding tasks, such as floor cleaning, which can help reduce the physical strain on human staff.

With a robotic cleaner, cleaning staff can spend more time on tasks that require a human touch, such as dusting and wiping surfaces, and less time on routine tasks. This increases their work efficiency and makes their workday more productive. It also helps maintain a well-organized work schedule, so that overtime is kept to a minimum and cleaning staff are able to perform at their best.

About Gausium

Gausium is 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.