"Working Even in Crowded Indoors"... Emergence of AI Autonomous Disinfection Robot

Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials

AI-based smart quarantine robot. Photo by Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] An artificial intelligence (AI) smart disinfection robot capable of safely conducting autonomous disinfection even in crowded indoor multi-use facilities has been developed. Unlike existing autonomous disinfection robots that could only operate in unoccupied spaces, this new robot can safely disinfect in spaces shared with people.

The Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials announced on the 20th that the research team led by Director Kim Chang-hyun of the AI Machinery Research Division developed a smart disinfection robot equipped with a real-time virus analysis algorithm using AI. It is expected to be easily applied to commercial facilities such as cafes and restaurants where many people gather, helping to reduce the risk of infectious disease spread while maintaining daily life.

The newly developed robot is equipped with a probabilistic virus mapping algorithm that recognizes people staying in indoor spaces based on AI and analyzes virus distribution accordingly. Using data such as the location and duration of stay of people obtained from closed-circuit television installed in indoor spaces, it estimates areas densely populated with viruses and calculates the optimal virus sterilization route. Instead of directly using UV-C sterilization lamps, it applies a method of spraying air sterilized by UV-C to allow disinfection simultaneously with human activity. By autonomously navigating the optimal disinfection route derived from the virus map, it can perform safe air sterilization in spaces occupied by people as well as disinfect empty seats. In other words, it can accurately identify customer locations and quickly and precisely disinfect virus-dense areas.

Director Kim Chang-hyun stated, “The developed technology is an intelligent robot technology that recognizes the surrounding environment with AI and can be used in spaces shared with people,” and added, “It is expected to be immediately applicable to multi-use facilities such as unmanned cafes and restaurants, helping self-employed business owners struggling during the pandemic crisis.”