AutonoMop, Automating Mundane Work in the COVID-19 Era

Abstract

While the COVID-19 pandemic has had devastating impacts in our lives, It rendered critical needs for intelligent automation in fields such as janitorial works. The cleaning task is an inseparable element of various sectors ranging from residential to hospitals and industrial buildings. The current study introduces a newly developed design based on the recent technology called AutonoMop, an eco-friendly autonomous robot. The proposed AutonoMop technology addresses the multifaceted problem of autonomous surface cleaning and mopping. AutonoMop advances beyond the existing cleaning technology by embodying an eco-friendly element for water filtering and serving multi-functionalities (vacuuming, washing, mopping). The first AutonoMop prototype consists of three modules working in unison to operate, an electronic module, a process module, and a body module. With design objectives, such as relatively compact size and weight on an industrial scale, in mind, the prototype of the AutonoMop robot delivered promising performance.