AI tackles Covid-19 challenges for a safer and more hygienic world

Look who is coming to a hospital near you

ROBOTS with unique functions like disinfection, delivery and rehabilitation assistance are exhibiting their talents to global consumers at the 2020 China International Fair for Trade in Services (Ciftis), which kicked off in Beijing.

Themed “Global Services, Shared Prosperity,” the fair is the first major international economic and trade event that China has held both online and offline since the Covid-19 outbreak.

In an exhibition area at the fair, a snail-like robot can be seen automatically moving toward a storage box, loading itself, entering an elevator and putting the box back in place after delivery.

The building distribution robot then takes a nearby disinfectant box and becomes a sterilising vehicle.

“They were busy day and night during the epidemic,” said

Zhang Wenyi, design director at Candela (Shenzhen) Technology Innovation Company, Ltd, which develops Candle series robots.

According to Zhang, Candela sent a number of Candle robots to the Huoshenshan, Leishenshan and Jinyintan hospitals to aid in the fight against Covid-19 in the hard-hit city of Wuhan during the early days of the outbreak.

In addition to routine distribution and handling services, one of the robots at the Leishenshan hospital was assigned a special mission in late February. It was tasked with sending a

wedding cake to a couple who were then working in the hospital and were unable to have their wedding ceremony in Shanghai as originally scheduled.

“It was a special wedding. The hospital became the marriage hall, the protective suit became a wedding gown, and the Candle robot was the cake delivery man,” Zhang recalled. An AI nursing robot at the fair can be seen simulating rehabilitation training for patients, helping a stuffed teddy bear lift its back, bend its knees and turn over.

This has attracted significant attention at the booth operated by Shenyang-based Siasun Robot and Automation Company, Ltd. Siasun has been in touch with the First Hospital of China Medical University in Shenyang since the early outbreak of Covid- 19. It has donated 10 nursing robots and seven logistics robots to the hospital. | Xinhua