They Will Invest In Robots, Now That The Pilot Has Ended. Testing For Coronavirus Is Now Widely Available Across Australia

China-based robotics company UBTECH makes the ADIBOT robots in two versions: a stationary model designed to be wheeled from room to room by a cleaner or school custodian, and a self-propelled model with a Lidar sensor, which makes its way around a room, disinfecting as it goes, using intense ultraviolet light. Four robots have been deployed in two schools in Delaware as part of a pilot project to measure cost efficiency and disinfection rates, and allow the schools to suggest improvements. Dan Shelton, superintendent of the state’s Christina School District, admits the pandemic has been a huge disruption to school life – and anything they can do that can reduce that disruption is a good thing: “We may never get back to normal, but we need to come up with some sort of a new normal, where our students are going to have what they need so that they can be successful. And we need to make sure that our teachers and our staff feel comfortable in the buildings if we’re going to bring students back.”

The stationary robot costs 20,000 dollars and the autonomous version is 40,000 dollars. The school district in Delaware has not yet made a decision on whether they will invest in the robots, now that the pilot has ended. Testing for coronavirus is now widely available across Australia. If you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms, arrange a test by calling your doctor or contact the Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080. The federal government’s coronavirus tracing app COVIDSafe is available for download from your phone’s app store.

This news was originally published at SBS