The Danish android skills will be tested in one patient room, one operating room on stretchers and N95 masks.

A $120,000 Danish robot arrived Monday at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) for the first Canadian test of a desinfection robot that uses ultraviolet light.

“We ordered this robot as the COVID-19 pandemic was emerging in China and Europe, with the objective to be first to evaluate this technology in Canada. An automated system can potentially improve patient safety, as well as protect hospital personnel,” says Dr. Bruce Mazer, Executive Director and Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) of the RI-MUHC (Interim).

The robot was delivered at the RI-MUHC on Monday, April 27, and according to the press release will be tested in one patient room and one operating room at the RI-MUHC Centre for Innovative Medicine at the Glen campus.

Tests will also be carried out on the machine’s performance is disinfecting objects, such as stretchers and N95 masks.

According to the manufacturer UVD Robots, the robot utilizes ultraviolet C rays to kill pathogens on surfaces and in the air, preventing and reducing the spread of infectious diseases by breaking down their DNA-structure.

While ultraviolet C rays can kill pathogens on surfaces and in the air, they can be dangerous to humans. Too much exposure can cause painful burns on the skin. It can also cause temporary damage to the cornea if observed directly. Aside from these threats, UV-C is a known carcinogen for human skin.

UVD Robots website claims the unit is safe, reliable and eliminates human error. Furthermore, it is user friendly and is designed to be operated by every-day cleaning staff.

“The problem with UV light is that it is very effective in killing bacteria and viruses, but if you have too much UV, it can burn the skin and it can cause eye problems,” Mazer told the AP. “But with this type of UV, if you close the door, even if there is a window, that doesn’t happen, so it is safe.”

The robot uses an automated GPS to avoid obstacles and navigate around the institution, and after the first visit will save to memory its designated cleaning locations.

According to Mazer, a manual room-cleaning takes about an hour, while the robot could do that job in about 10 minutes.

The Danish android is already being used in China, Asia, Europe and will also be tested in other Quebec locations.