UVC Disinfection Path Planning With Targeted Surface Irradiation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing autonomous mobile robotic devices (AMRs) designed for disinfection using UVC radiation face challenges such as energy wastage due to continuous 360-degree disinfection, potential harm to humans and living things, and inadequate disinfection of moving objects, leading to incomplete surface disinfection.
Innovation Solution
A D-AMR device with UVC radiation sources that selectively disinfects features and surfaces based on a calculated dosage model, adjusting speed and light orientation to direct radiation only where needed, using a mapping and path-planning system to ensure thorough disinfection while minimizing exposure and energy consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If continuous 360-degree disinfection is performed, then disinfection coverage is improved, but energy consumption increases and harmful radiation exposure to humans and living things occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from uniform 360-degree disinfection to localized targeted disinfection. The UVC radiation sources are directed only at identified surfaces and features that require disinfection, rather than irradiating the entire environment. This localizes the disinfection action to specific areas needing treatment, reducing overall energy consumption and minimizing harmful radiation exposure to humans and living things while maintaining effective disinfection coverage of target surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The disinfection process is segmented into discrete targeted actions rather than continuous omnidirectional radiation. The system identifies specific surfaces and features requiring disinfection and applies UVC radiation separately to each target. This segmentation allows the robot to pause between targets, reduce radiation intensity or duration for individual surfaces, and avoid unnecessary radiation in areas that don't require disinfection, thereby reducing energy consumption and harmful exposure.
2Reliability
If continuous 360-degree disinfection is performed, then disinfection coverage is improved, but harm to humans and living things increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from uniform 360-degree disinfection to localized targeted disinfection. The UVC radiation sources are directed only at identified surfaces and features that require disinfection, rather than irradiating the entire environment. This localizes the disinfection action to specific areas needing treatment, reducing overall energy consumption and minimizing harmful radiation exposure to humans and living things while maintaining effective disinfection coverage of target surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The disinfection process becomes dynamic and adaptive rather than static and continuous. The system continuously monitors the environment, identifies surfaces requiring disinfection, and dynamically adjusts the UVC radiation direction and intensity. This dynamic approach allows the robot to avoid irradiating areas with humans or living things present, pause when targets are not ready for disinfection, and adapt radiation parameters based on real-time conditions, thereby reducing harmful exposure while maintaining disinfection effectiveness.
3Productivity
If high speed traversal is used, then productivity is improved, but disinfection completeness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The robot's traversal speed is made dynamic rather than constant. The system adjusts speed based on real-time factors such as the type of surface being disinfected, the required dosage, environmental conditions, and the robot's position relative to targets. This allows high-speed traversal between distant targets or in areas requiring less disinfection, while automatically reducing speed when approaching or treating surfaces that require more thorough disinfection, thereby maintaining both productivity and disinfection completeness.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters (speed, radiation intensity, exposure time) based on the specific disinfection requirements of different surfaces and environments. By adjusting these parameters dynamically during operation, the robot can optimize the balance between traversal speed and disinfection effectiveness for each specific target, ensuring complete disinfection without unnecessarily sacrificing productivity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The D-AMR efficiently and safely disinfects selected areas by optimizing UVC radiation application, reducing energy consumption, and providing a verified disinfection map, ensuring complete coverage and safety from harmful radiation.
Implementation Method 1
electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength in the 110-280 nm range (i.e., ultraviolet C radiation/light or UV-C light) is being used to effectively disinfect surfaces harboring pathogens
Data Source
AI summary
An autonomous, mobile robotic device (AMR) is configured with one or more UVC radiation sources, and operates to traverse a path while disinfecting an interior space. Each UVC radiation source is connected to the AMR by an articulating arm that is controlled to orient each source towards a feature or surface that is selected for disinfection during the time that the AMR is moving through the space. The location of each feature selected for disinfection can be mapped, and this map information, a current AMR location and pose can be used to generate signals that are used to control the articulating arm to orient each UVC lamp towards a feature that is selected for disinfection.