Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust has announced that it is trialling cleaning robots in order to free up domestic cleaners for other tasks.
The LionBot robots have been developed to suit different cleaning requirements whilst injecting personalities via emotional responses through expressive eyes and voices.
Supplier Killis described the machines as having a serious purpose – providing support to human employees.
The robots have been designed to eliminate the need for workers to perform many labour-intensive and repetitive tasks, thereby allowing cleaners to focus more on complex, thought-intensive duties.
The robots are not intended to replace human cleaners but rather to act as assistants.
In the Tunbridge Wells trial, the robots clean floors in two hospitals’ main reception areas.
Sarah Gray, assistant general manager for facilities, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, said using robots to clean the floors has already resulted in quicker drying times, making them safer to walk on.
Furthermore, according to Gray, the trust is considering leasing the robots to carry out cleaning of ‘touch points’ around its hospitals.
As for LionBots interaction with patients, the jokes it tells have reportedly been well received by the younger patients visiting the Hedgehog Ward at Tunbridge Wells Hospital.
Grey added: “As the robots interact with anyone they come in to contact with, the plan is to redeploy them during the summer months to the children’s wards so children and young people can enjoy them.”
