The Disinfectant version of the RAISA Robot is equipped with a disinfectant liquid-filled tank and four sprayers

ITS Campus, ITS News – The amount of material used by Covid-19 patients and the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that can no longer be used by medical staff cannot be discarded rigth away, but must first be sterilized. Therefore, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) launched the latest version of ITS Robot Medical Assistant – Airlangga (RAISA Robot) that is equipped with disinfectant sprayers on Wednesday (3/6), at the ITS Robotics Center Building.

ITS Rector, Prof. Dr. Ir. Mochamad Ashari, M.Eng., explained there is a hospital protocol on the usage period of PPE, thus it must be sterilized when leaving the room. This is done in order to reduce the workload of medical personnel and minimize the exposure of viruses attached to PPE.

“The workload on medical personnel is a lot, therefore RAISA is present to ease their burden,” he emphasized.

According to Ashari, the invention of the RAISA Disinfectant was at the request of Airlangga University Hospital (RSUA). Together with the two previous robots at RSUA, the installation of disinfectant sprayers in the third version will be used to sterilize patient rooms and hospital halls.

Rudy Dikairono (on the left) when explaining features of the RAISA Disinfectant to the ITS Rector, Prof. Dr. Ir. Mochamad Ashari, M.Eng. (on the right)

A researcher of the RAISA Robot, Rudy Dikairono, S.T., M.T., revealed that the robot with the initial specifications that allow it to serve patients experienced an addition of disinfectant sprayers. He also continued that RAISA is made of stainless steel which is certain to be waterproof.

“With a flexible hose and sprayer, it will not only spray the front but also the sides and back,” he explained.

Rudy further elaborated that the process of spraying disinfectant by RAISA can be controlled with remote control from a far distance. The team is also developing a semi-autonomous system that will work when certain sensors are given on the floor, such as a track that is displayed on the floor, so the robot will automatically know which room it will go to.

“Later on, this robot will be able to serve every room and can move from room to room,” said this Electrical Engineering ITS lecturer.

Achmad Zidan Akbar, a student of the research team, when preparing the RAISA Disinfectant version for testing

Meanwhile, Ashari further explained that the RAISA improvement was carried out in accordance with the conditions in RSUA. Hospitals are now working at a rapid pace and there is a need for technology to facilitate the work of medical staff.

“We hope that this RAISA innovation can reach hospitals throughout Indonesia and help ease the burden of medical heroes who are currently struggling,” concluded this ITS Electrical Engineering professor. (zar/ory/ITS Public Relations)

RAISA Disinfectant when tested try to spray disinfectant liquid onto the target object