Autonomous Ground Vehicle (COR-AGV) Disinfectant System Using Far-UVC Light Exposure

Abstract

1 Abstract—In this Covid -19 pandemic era, where the negative impact of the virus is felt worldwide, it is crucial to reduce the rate of infection. This paper presents the development of a vehicle to minimize the spread of the disease. The Coronavirus-Autonomous Ground Vehicle (COR-AGV) uses Ultraviolet Light (UV) rather than liquid sanitiser. The use of UV light as a disinfectant is proven in the medical field, where many medical appliances were disinfected using UV light without the need for alcohol substances. Previous research showed thatsimilarCoronavirus such as SARS and MERS lost their ability to infect when exposed to the UV for a particular durationasthe exposure causeddamageto the virus's DNA sequence. The COR-AGV presented herewith uses UV Light to carry out the disinfection task autonomously. The COR-AGV, equipped with a far-UVC light array, navigates autonomously within the targeted areas to sweep systematically, scan and disinfect. The COR-AGV is equipped with camera and sonar sensors to enable path planning and obstacle avoidance in confined spaces and outdoor environments. A GPS is included to assist the COR-AGV navigation system. Simulation test runs were performed to check the adequacy of the rover in performing disinfection. The COR-AGV perform disinfection on the wall surface with more than 50% of the wall surface were covered for disinfection in various floor layouts, while being able to perform obstacle avoidance within the test area. Thus, COR-AGV can be adapted prior to the actual pandemic event to enhance its level of performance. The performance of COR-AGV can be improved with additional sensors such as Computer Vision or LiDAR sensor.