Scientists develop robot conducting COVID-19 tests

COPENHAGEN: The researchers have developed a robot capable of carrying out COVID-19 screening tests.

The researchers from the University of Southern Denmark explained that using a 3D-printed disposable arm that is automatically swapped after every patient, the robot can take a throat swab and then places the sample in a jar.

“Robotics researchers have developed the world’s first fully automatic robot capable of carrying out throat swabs for COVID-19, so that healthcare professionals are not exposed to the risk of infection,” the university said in a statement.

The robot is currently in prototype form, but a model for use in the field is under construction, the project leader Thiusius Rajeeth Savarimuthu said.

“There are prospects in developing a throat swab robot so that robots can take over the throat swabbing work both in relation to COVID-19, but also in all future viruses,” he said in the statement.

In April, a disinfecting robot was invented in Singapore to help take the load off overworked cleaners during the pandemic.