BOSCUR

Project Key Data

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Full title of the project:
Boosting Service Capacity Using Robots

Short name of the project:
BOSCUR

Date of the award:
October 2021

Project duration:
6 months

Leading party:
Akara Robotics Limited

Country:
Ireland

Company Website:
https://www.akara.ai/

Abstract

Akara offers Violet, the world’s most versatile UV disinfection robot. Initially developed with support from the DIH HERO COVID-19 project, Violet has evolved beyond a demonstrator to become a CE marked robot. Unlike other UV robots, Violet has been designed to be safe for use around people, enabling deployment in more clinical settings and permitting staff to prepare the room for the next patient while the robot operates. Violet’s class-leading performance is demonstrated by the fact that it became the first autonomous UV disinfection robot whose efficacy was clinically validated in a top peer-reviewed scientific journal and is currently the only UV disinfection robot that has demonstrated the ability to shorten turnaround time. This project will build on previous trials of the technology by (i) validating its efficacy and usability in an operating room setting, (ii) developing new interfaces and operating procedures for improved usability, and (iii) refining new standard testing methods for measuring background UV levels, which are necessary to show adherence with occupational safety regulations. The completion of this pilot will enable Akara to build a strong business case for the technology, develop a relationship with a major global hospital network and will be formative in obtaining market readiness and indicating potential for scalability. Akara’s solution is uniquely positioned to address the urgent need to boost hospital capacity and reduce infections, since it is orders of magnitude faster to administer, leads to better germ-killing performance and can be scaled rapidly.