UV Disinfection Robots: A Review

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has completely changed our lives and how we interact with the world. The pandemic has brought about a pressing need to have effective disinfection practices that can be incorporated into daily life. They are needed to limit the spread of infections through surfaces and air, particularly in public settings. Most of the current methods utilize chemical disinfectants, which can be laborious and time-consuming. Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation is a proven and powerful means of disinfection. There has been a rising interest in the implementation of UV disinfection robots by various public institutions, such as hospitals, long-term care homes, airports, and shopping malls. The use of UV-based disinfection robots could make the disinfection process faster and more efficient. The objective of this review is to equip readers with the necessary background on UV disinfection and provide relevant discussion on various aspects of UV robots.