AUTONOMOUS MOBILE ROBOT FOR CLEANING HOSPITAL STRETCHERS USING ARTIFICIAL VISION, GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS) AND DISPENSING SYSTEM CONTROLLED BY INTERNET OF THINGS (IOT)

Abstract

The invention focuses on the development of an autonomous mobile robot for cleaning hospital beds. This robot integrates intelligent navigation, visual recognition, mechanical cleaning capabilities, and remote communication, operating completely autonomously without direct human intervention. The main purpose of the invention is to automate the bed cleaning process in clinical settings, ensuring efficiency, biosafety, and process traceability, thereby reducing exposure risks for healthcare personnel and guaranteeing high standards of hospital cleanliness.This device is composed of five main sections: the first section contains the wheels and motors (1), the axle (2), and the protective structure (3), responsible for the movement and structural support of the equipment; the second section contains the camera with artificial vision (9), the Sharp sensor (5), the GPS system (10), and the GPS controller (7.3), responsible for the perception of the environment and autonomous navigation; the third section contains the 3 DOF robotic arm (4), the cleaning head (4.1), the soapy water dispenser (4.2), and the soapy water storage tank (8), which make up the active automated cleaning system; the fourth section, corresponding to the control and supervision of the system, contains the robot's electronic circuits (7), the microcontroller (7.7), the relay controller (7.4), the L298 circuit (7.6), the ESP8266 IoT controller (7.1), and the LCD screen (7.2) which manage the operation, processing, and monitoring of the equipment; and finally, the fifth section contains the 12V 8.6Ah battery (11), the battery charging controller (7.5), and the on / off switch (6), forming the robot's power and ignition system. This machine will facilitate the continuous and autonomous execution of specific cleaning processes on hospital beds, allowing the system to move, identify targets, perform cleaning, and report its operations remotely, which improves operational efficiency, reduces human contact with contaminated surfaces, and strengthens biosafety protocols in healthcare facilities.