COVID-19 has rapidly spread across the globe. With nearly 2.7 million diagnosed cases, the medical field is overworked. As a result, many hospitals and doctors are experiencing a lack of medical resources. One such resource is N95 masks, respirators that protect medical personnel from breathing in contaminants. But a special member of the UVA team is uniquely prepared to combat this problem. That’s right, Tru-D the robot is here to save the day!
N95 Masks: A Brief Overview
The FDA describes N95 masks as:
a respiratory protective device designed to achieve a very close facial fit and very efficient filtration of airborne particles. The ‘N95’ designation means that when subjected to careful testing, the respirator blocks at least 95 percent of very small test particles.
N95 masks are typically made for single-use. Currently, the CDC urges people not to use N95 masks if they are not in the medical field. Rather, citizens should use cloth masks. Despite this, there is still a current shortage of N95 masks.
Tru-D’s Capabilities
UVA has recently acquired Tru-D, a 5’6″ robot who can disinfect surfaces and objects without chemicals. Instead, Tru-D uses ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI), which uses UV energy to destroy bacteria, fungi, and viruses. The UV energy enters into these organisms’ RNA and DNA, stopping cycles of reproduction. Without those capabilities, the bacteria, fungi, and viruses are ineffective.
In Tru-D’s case, the robot takes into account the size and density of a room. UVA researchers painted rooms with reflective paint to maximize disinfection. The robot operates in cycles of 20 minutes. During this time, it can disinfect hundreds of masks. In fact, the robot can currently disinfect around 6,000 masks daily.
Although N95 masks are not meant to be reused, creating a safe and efficient way to reuse them could help researchers in a time when medical resources are scarce. Now, UVA is getting ready to handle an influx of patients. If other medical providers can harness this technology, it may help to address scarcity moving forward.
