Blue Ocean Robotics ApS today announced that Gallup-McKinley County Schools in New Mexico will use 37 of its UVD Robots in 34 schools, two administrative buildings, and one warehouse to help fight against the novel coronavirus. The Odense, Denmark-based company claimed it is the largest deployment of disinfection robots to a school district in the U.S. so far.
”COVID has taken an extraordinary toll on our community,” stated Michael Hyatt, superintendent of Gallup-McKinley County Schools (GMCS). “The safety of our students and staff and developing a plan to bring them all back to school as quickly and safely as possible is our primary concern.”
“We wanted a larger, longer-term disinfection solution, adding a layer of protection that would disinfect the surfaces and the air in our buildings and help fight COVID, colds, flu, and infectious diseases for years to come,” he said. SNAP Solutions Inc. is working with the school district on the rollout.
Students need to return to school safely and promptly
GMCS is one of the largest school districts in New Mexico and includes the Navajo Nation and the Zuni Pueblo. It includes many rural areas with infrastructure challenges that make virtual learning difficult, said Blue Ocean. Many students have Internet connectivity problems, and about 1,500 students have no Internet at home. The district also includes many special education students who learn better in the classroom, so it needed to find a way to bring students back.
”We selected UVD Robots after a rigorous review process of numerous disinfecting robots,” said Hyatt. “UVD Robots delivered on all of our needs and requirements of importance for our district including technical excellence, maturity and track record, quality of approach in deployment, response time in technical support and maintenance, and overall value.”
Students from GMCS’ Twin Lakes School participated in a naming contest for the robot to help with socialization and morale. Three finalists were selected, and the winner named the UVD Robot “Mr. Fox.”
UVD Robot finds use in multiple venues
Hospitals, schools, airports, and sports arenas have rapidly adopted autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) that use ultraviolet light to kill pathogens. The UV-C disinfection robot market will grow from $341 million in 2018 to $2.3 billion by 2025, experiencing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 36.4%, predicts Mordor Intelligence LLP. Verified Market Research is similarly bullish, forecasting growth from $172.7 million in 2019 to $5.5 billion in 2027 at 32.6% CAGR.
Numerous universities and vendors have offered disinfection robots in the past year, but Blue Ocean had developed the UVD Robots to fight against hospital-acquired infections (HAI) prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The company said its systems have been clinically tested and verified at Odense University Hospital and by independent microbiological laboratories.
“Unlike stationary disinfection robots, the UVD Robot is a mobile, fully autonomous robot,” said Claus Risager, CEO of Blue Ocean Robotics. “It integrates UV-C light to disinfect against viruses and bacteria on surfaces and the air, killing 99.99% of bacteria and microorganisms within approximately 10 minutes in every room it disinfects.”
“We are excited to announce what we believe is the largest deployment of autonomous disinfection robots in any school district in the country,” said Per Juul Nielsen, CEO of UVD Robots. “The autonomous UV light is a highly effective, chemical-free method that disinfects the air and reaches all surfaces in a room, saving considerable labor through continuously repositioning versus stationary UV disinfection methods. We are honored to be working with GMCS to go beyond COVID and bring hospital-grade disinfection to the school district.”
UVD Robots have also helped disinfect One Buc Place, the facility of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, winners of the 2020 Super Bowl. UVD Robots are in use in more than 60 countries worldwide.
Blue Ocean Robotics develops, produces, and sells AMRs for healthcare, construction, agriculture, and hospitality applications. Its portfolio includes brands such as UVD Robots, GoBe telepresence robots, and the PTR Robots for patient transfer and rehabilitation. The company, which calls itself “the world's first robot venture factory,” was recently included on Fast Company’s Top 10 “Most Innovative Robotics Companies 2021.”
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