LG launches germ-killing autonomous robot

11 January 2021, 14:24

LG UV Robo
LG UV Robot Side View (1). Picture: PA

The robot uses Ultraviolet C (UV-C) light to disinfect surfaces.

Tech giant LG has launched a new autonomous robot which uses ultraviolet light to disinfect surfaces amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The Cloi UV-C robot uses ultraviolet C (UV-C) light to disinfect touchable surfaces in communal spaces in around 30 minutes.

Officially unveiled during the first day CES digital event on Monday, LG said the device is designed to operate in hospitality, retail, corporate and educational settings as a way to irradiate high-touch, high-traffic areas.

It is the latest example of technology firms responding to new needs created during the pandemic, and follows LG’s introduction last year of a battery-powered face mask which the company labelled a wearable air purifier.

LG said this latest robot had been created at a time “when hygiene is of the highest priority for hotel guests, students and restaurant customers”.

The new robot is also programmed to reduce human exposure to UV rays, with motion detection sensors in place which activate a safety lock and stop the robot when it senses people within a five-metre radius.

The robot’s progress and controls can also be accessed via a connected mobile app.

Elsewhere at its CES press conference, the Korean tech firm unveiled a range of new home appliances, including new smart fridges and washing machines, as well as a new line of high-end LCD televisions.

CES is normally held every January in Las Vegas, with thousands of exhibitors and more than 170,000 attendees coming to see a wide range of new gadgets unveiled.

However, the event has moved entirely online for the first time in 2021 as the world continues to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.

By Press Association

More Technology News

See more More Technology News

A person holds an iphone showing the app for Google chrome search engine

Apple and Google ‘should face investigation over mobile browser duopoly’

UK unveils AI cyber defence lab to combat Russian threats, as minister pledges unwavering support for Ukraine

British spies to ramp up fight against Russian cyber threats with launch of cutting-edge AI research unit

Pat McFadden

UK spies to counter Russian cyber warfare threat with new AI security lab

Openreach van

Upgrade to Openreach ultrafast full fibre broadband ‘could deliver £66bn boost’

Laptop with a virus warning on the screen

Nato countries are in a ‘hidden cyber war’ with Russia, says Liz Kendall

Pat McFadden

Russia prepared to launch cyber attacks on UK, minister to warn

A Google icon on a smartphone

Firms can use AI to help offset Budget tax hikes, says Google UK boss

Icons of social media apps, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and WhatsApp, are displayed on a mobile phone screen

Growing social media app vows to shake up ‘toxic’ status quo

Will Guyatt questions who is responsible for the safety of children online

Are Zuckerberg and Musk responsible for looking after my kids online?

Social media apps on a phone

U16s social media ban punishes children for tech firm failures, charities say

Google shown on a smartphone

US Government proposes forcing Google to sell Chrome to break-up tech empire

The logo for Google's Gemini AI assistant

Google’s Gemini AI gets dedicated iPhone app in the UK for the first time

Facebook stock

EU fines Meta £660m for competition rule breaches over Facebook Marketplace

A phone taking a photo of a phone mast

Government pledges more digital inclusion as rural Wales gets phone mast boost

Social media apps displayed on a mobile phone screen

What is Bluesky and why are people leaving X to sign up?

Someone types at a keyboard

Cyber security chief warns Black Friday shoppers to be alert to scams