Frontline medical workers take huge risks in their duties of helping those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Never mind that there’s not exactly enough of them to go around during such times. To help alleviate their burden, a couple of Malaysian universities have built robots to help them out in the field.
One is the MediBot V1-U by the International Islamic University (UIA)’s Centre for Unmanned Technologies. It comes equipped with forward looking infrared (FLIR) cameras, and a screen. The combination of the two allows doctors to interact with patients without being in close proximity. It also has a UV-C light emitters that help with disinfection.
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The second robot is made by the combined effort of the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz UKM (HCTM), and DF Automation &Robotics Sdn Bhd (DF). It’s called Makcik Kiah 19, or MCK19. Overall, it performs just as the MediBot V1-U, but in the pace of a FLIR camera and UV_C light emitters, the MCK19 instead has the ability to carry up to 300KG in its shelves. This allows food and medicine to be delivered to patients who are suspected to have contracted COVID-19.
None of these robots will be a commonly seen sight just yet though. The MediBot V1-U is, for now, still in its proof of concept stage. The MCK19, on the other hand, will be tested at the HCTM at the end of this week.
(Source: UIA / Facebook, UTM via Amanz [1], [2]. Image: TV9 / YouTube)
