MANCHESTER, NH – If Rosie the Robot maid from The Jetsons had a baby with R2D2 from Star Wars, the result would be Tru-D, a super-powered high-tech disinfecting robot.
And to extend the Hollywood metaphor almost too far, Tru-D uses “flashy-thingie” powers not unlike the neuralyzer memory eraser used by Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones in “Men In Black” to “erase” killer germs and superbugs from hospital rooms.
Tru-D SmartUVC is currently in use at Catholic Medical Center, one of 300 Tru-D robots deployed to disinfect hospitals across the globe, including the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland; Vancouver General Hospital in Vancouver, British Columbia; Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust’s QMC campus in Nottingham, England; and Ebola Treatment Units at ELWA Hospital and Island Hospital in Monrovia, Liberia.
The robot is being hailed as a futuristic solution to one of the greatest challenges facing hospitals today, which is preventing the transmission of multi drug-resistant illnesses from one patient to another.
Using ultraviolet technology, Tru-D can disinfect any room in a hospital by turning up the heat on microorganisms. Operated safely outside the room by a hand-held device, CMC staff can instruct Tru-D to automatically analyze the dimensions of any room and measure and emit the precise dosage of UV light rays to safely eliminate whatever health risk isn’t seen by the naked eye.
This technology, the first of its kind in the state of New Hampshire, will catch whatever might be missed by traditional hospital room cleanings.
“Our commitment to quality means taking aggressive steps to protect patients from unforeseen circumstances,” says Dr. Joseph Pepe, president and CEO of CMC. “This high-tech solution is 99.9 percent effective in eliminating viruses, bacteria and other pathogens.”
After a hospital room is cleaned by traditional methods, the Tru-D SmartUVC powers through the door to finish the job (see a demonstration in the video below.)
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From a central spot in the room, the robot scans every surface and every corner of any hospital room, accounting for equipment and the UVC reflectivity of materials. Following the scan, Tru-D delivers a lethal dose of UV light to destroy microorganisms that pose a health threat. This technology can be effectively used in patients’ rooms, emergency room areas, waiting rooms and operating rooms. The robot transmits a full report of its operations through its iTru-D portal system so that hospital staff can track results.
The entire process takes just a few minutes. It is a simple procedure using smart technology.
“The proper dose of UV light energy generated by Tru-D modifies the DNA structure of an infectious cell so that it cannot reproduce, and a cell that cannot reproduce cannot colonize and harm anyone,” said Karen Kennett, RN, director of infection prevention at CMC.
The robot eliminates contact pathogens that may have settled on surfaces such as a counter top or nightstand. It is an innovation aimed at eliminating multi-drug resistant organisms. The UV light can eliminate influenza, norovirus, MRSA, C. diff, CRE, VRE and even Ebola.
“This will decrease the risk of transmitting drug-resistant pathogens that can cause infection,” says Kennett. “It protects patients, families and staff by decontaminating a hospital room that has been used by someone with a contagious infection.”
It takes the device about 15 to 20 minutes to disinfect an average hospital room. Its rays can even reach the bathroom from the bedroom area. Patients who test positive, show symptoms or have a recent history of multi-drug resistant organisms are placed in contact isolation during a hospital stay. The Tru-D unit will be used upon discharge to eliminate any lingering pathogens. It will also be rotated through other locations such as operating rooms for scheduled cleanings.
“Hospital staff cannot fight these growing antibiotic-resistant infections alone,” said Chuck Dunn, president and chief executive officer of Tru-D SmartUVC. “Tru-D is the ideal technology asset for infection prevention teams, like the one at Catholic Medical Center, because of its repeatedly proven efficacy in eliminating dangerous pathogens and creating safer patient and staff environments.”
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