The Dudley 'sun god' robot helping to defeat Covid

Service Robots had made a big name for itself in the events business with a robot that could navigate crowded rooms and take pictures of the guests.

But the firm was facing an uncertain future when the pandemic and first lockdown hit, bringing the events market to a shuddering halt straight away.

CEO Tim Warrington explained: “There was no longer a market for our Eva photography robot.”

With 21 staff furloughed, Mr Warrington suddenly remembered a pre-pandemic and prescient conversation he’d had with one of the engineers.

“It was about about how a robot could be used to fight viruses and bacteria by emitting ultraviolet light (UVC).”

Suddenly the race was on to turn that idea into reality. Within 14 days the first prototype had been created.

The VC Helios robot - named after the Greek God of the Sun - had been born.

Mr Warrington described the technology as a sun bed on a robot – proven technology, but never put together before.

Helios can remotely disinfect public spaces against COVID-19 and other bacteria.

The Halesowen-based company quickly set up a sales platform and got its first order from Bangladesh. Others quickly followed, including the US military in Germany.

Mr Warrington explained “We had pivoted a company in a different direction in a small space of time when Covid-19 struck.

“We are now pivoting out of lockdown which again will see a different company emerge with new products based on the new evolving business landscape that COVID-19 has created. The new products we had to innovate, the work we had to do to survive..

The Helios has already led to the firm winning the Artificial Intelligence Award at the latest National Business Awards UK sponsored by Lloyds Bank. The judges commented: “This entry was all about people skills, thinking outside the box and leaning on innovation to keep ahead of the competition.”

For more information visit www.servicerobots.com.