5 Ingenious Robotic Uses

My only familiarity with a robot was the one that could be plugged in and left indoors to clean the house. The size and shape of a weighing scale, it would by itself slide under tables and between chairs sucking up dust and debris with that persistent whine.

In the last decade, robots began replacing machine operations in the construction industry to do repetitive tasks but have remained largely within the realms of industrial applications. After the pandemic, the need for contactless interaction has made robots particularly useful in certain situations. Let’s see how.

Real estate agents in California have started using robots to show houses to prospective buyers. Operated remotely, these robots driven by Artificial Intelligence are placed inside the homes that are up for sale, offer tours, and answer any questions that customers have, reducing the need for a face to face interaction. 

At a hospital in Italy, where the pandemic had taken a huge toll, robots were replacing nurses to look after Corona patients, especially those who were not seriously ill. These small, child-sized robots with two arms could measure blood pressure, monitor oxygen saturation, walk around the room interacting with patients and communicate the findings to doctors remotely.

At the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, a hospital in Wuhan managed the disinfection of its operation theatres and patient rooms with the help of robots. Made by a Danish company, these robots looked like carts on wheels mounted with a UV lamp. It could roll in and successfully disinfect the room in 10-12 minutes without the need for any housekeeping staff.

In Tokyo, a café run completely by robots was launched earlier this year. At the Dawn Avtar Robot Café, robots that look like humans took orders, and served food and drink to diners. These robots were operated entirely by disabled workers remotely, from their homes via the internet without having to step out.  

Elsewhere in Japan, during the countrywide 2020 lockdown students graduating from one university used robots to simulate their graduation ceremony, walking up to the stage and receiving their scroll while they remained at home.

In addition to offeringgreat opportunities for teamwork and collaboration, learning robotics helps address the growing demand for careers in teaching science, technology, engineering, and maths. Author: Anjana Das