In April 2020, NGen challenged companies to develop innovative robotic solutions that would reduce the number of healthcare associated infections to protect the safety of both patients and healthcare workers, or that would disinfect private spaces and facilities so that businesses could bring employees back to work in a safe and sanitized environment. In order to qualify for funding, projects were expected to have a fast turnaround, demonstrating an impact on COVID-19 within six months. NGen received 34 expressions of interest and 19 proposals from innovative companies across Canada.
34
Expressions of Interest
19
Project Proposals
Five outstanding projects were selected for funding under the Disinfection Robot Challenge. With matching contributions from industry, the total value of these projects exceeded $10 million.
5
Projects
$10 M
Total Project Value
A&K Robotics, based in Vancouver, BC, with its partner, Sanctuary AI, will develop and rapidly bring to market Amrud, a self-driving robot capable of autonomously disinfecting large areas of floor spaces and high-touch surfaces.
AIS, Advanced Intelligence Systems, based in Burnaby, BC., will produce a robot that will map large-scale environments such as hospitals, navigate to interest points, and perform hands-free UV disinfection without requiring human intervention.
CrossWing, based in Aurora, ON, will manufacture Cleanbot UV and Cleanbot MIST, two next-generation robots that overcome serious limitations of first-generation disinfecting systems. Cleanbot UV will allow for the targeted delivery of UV light to where it is critically needed. Cleanbot MIST will deliver a precisely measured spray dose to all common pathogen hotspots.
GlobalDWS, based in Toronto, ON, will develop GlobalDWS’ Disinfection Service Robot (DSR). DSR is a fully autonomous, voice-enabled service robotic platform with advanced cognitive capabilities. This innovative solution is equipped with an intelligent COVID-19 assistant, disinfectant sprayer, and UV-C light functionality to provide a comprehensive disinfection solution for essential businesses and public workplaces.
Prescientx, based in Cambridge, ON, will develop and deploy a fleet of self-driving mobile robotic vehicles integrated with an UltraViolet (UV) light disinfection system to quickly and continuously sanitize essential workplaces, protecting workers against COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. The solution will combine Prescientx’s patent-pending targeted CoolDose™ UVC technology with Clearpath Robotics’s OTTO autonomous mobile robot platform.