Service robots aid Shanghai's epidemic fight

SHANGHAI -- With the support of fast and stable communication networks, service robots performing various functions at makeshift hospitals have become a force hard to ignore in Shanghai's fight against the latest COVID-19 resurgence.

Inside the makeshift hospital in Shanghai New International Expo Centre, the first batch of 28 "disinfection robots" have been put into use. Each of them is equipped with three disinfection modules: an ultraviolet lamp, an ultra-dry fog generator and a plasma air purifier, and can work 24 hours a day.

In the meantime, a group of "5G indoor multifunctional cloud robots" can deliver over 20 boxed meals at a time, and go to designated locations for patients to collect their food themselves. With the assistance of these robots, the manual distribution of meals, which originally took about 20 minutes, can be completed in just 5 minutes.

The service robots have helped to reduce the risk of cross-infection between patients and effectively guarantee the safety of medical staff, according to an on-site worker.

The "dual gigabit" high bandwidth communications jointly achieved by local communication enterprises have enabled the service robots to operate smoothly without interfering with the work of medical staff.

According to the local government, more than 200 robots will soon enter service at a makeshift hospital in the city's Lingang area. They will perform duties such as contactless delivery of materials. More 5G-based intelligent robots are also being readied to work at hospitals.

A digital command center that combines technologies such as big data, artificial intelligence and digital twin is also under development at the Lingang makeshift hospital.

Multi-dimensional data collected by 5G robots can be processed, transmitted and finally presented on the integrated command screen in real time, thus helping managers to make efficient decisions and realizing efficient management, according to China Unicom's Shanghai office, the developer.

Outside makeshift hospitals, more and more intelligent robots and unmanned vehicles have been deployed to fight the pandemic. Meituan, a Chinese online food delivery giant, has dispatched the first batch of more than 10 unmanned distribution vehicles to Shanghai to relieve the pressure on some communities in Pudong New Area.