Cleaning and disinfection robot »DeKonBot«

»DeKonBot« is the prototype of a cleaning and disinfection robot for potentially contaminated surfaces in buildings such as door handles, light switches or elevator buttons. While other cleaning robots often spray the cleaning agents over a large area, DeKonBot autonomously identifies the surface to be cleaned. For this purpose, image processing methods as well as a newly developed sensor are used, which is even capable of reliably detecting the position of metallic and reflective objects. DeKonBot carries out a wipe disinfection of the relevant surfaces so that both possible soiling is removed and existing germs are killed. DeKonBot can be used safely among humans. To prepare the robot for its first usage, the operating personnel must teach the robot once. After that, the cleaning robot acts autonomously.
The prototype is the joint result of the IPA departments Robot and Assistive Systems, Laboratory Automation and Biomanufacturing Engineering, and Ultraclean Technology and Micromanufacturing.
The project was funded by the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft's internal program »Anti-Corona«.
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Expert contact:
Dr. Birgit Graf, [e-mail], [phone]
Deutsches Video: • Reinigungs- und Desinf...

[@PaulJurczak]

At 3:20 the wipe doesn't clean the back of the door handle. Attaching the wipe to a compliant substrate instead of a hard plastic, e.g. egg crate foam, would allow for wrap-around contact with cylindrical surfaces.

[@FraunhoferIPA]

Thanks for your valuable comment and suggestion. We are aware of this weakness of our current prototype. For the next version of the robot we are already designing a new cleaning tool which will be able to reach all areas around the door handle. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact: [e-mail]