Robots Fight Superbugs in Hospitals, page 1

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Topic started on 4-1-2013 @ 08:39 AM by happykat39

But can they wash their own hands, what the heck; do they even have hands?

This is a much needed advancement in hospital sanitation. There have been way too many patients who came to the hospital for a comparatively minor problem and ended up nearly dead from an infection they caught in the hospital.

SOURCE

One of the biggest worries about American's obsession with antibacterial soaps is the possibility that viruses and bacteria will develop into "superbugs." At Johns Hopkins Hospital a new method is being tested to prevent the rise of superbugs by using robot-like devices that spray hydrogen peroxide.

The vaporizers were first developed in Singapore in 2002 to combat the spread of SARS and were stocked in U.S. government agencies in case of an anthrax outbreak.

reply posted on 4-1-2013 @ 08:46 AM by shivaX

Such kind of innovations in the medical field is very much required.
We are not properly capable of dealing with all kind of simple bugs ,leave alone superbugs and viruses.

reply posted on 4-1-2013 @ 08:51 AM by OtherSideOfTheCoin

They already have technology that will clean the air in infection control wards and in operating rooms therefore I don’t see these machines becoming common place in hospital wards.

reply posted on 4-1-2013 @ 08:57 AM by QMask

reply to post by happykat39

Very interesting post. (S and F.)

From the article, this is how it works:

These bots are about the size of a washing machine and weigh nearly 60 pounds each. Two bots are placed in a sealed room that has had its vents covered. One device sprays a light bleaching agent into the air to kill and prevent the spread of drug-resistant bacteria. A thin layer of the hydrogen peroxide agent, about 2 to 6 microns thick, coats all of the surfaces in the room, including equipment, tables and chairs. A second vaporizer breaks down the bleaching agent into its water and oxygen components, making it non-toxic to humans. The entire process takes about an hour and a half to complete.

I hope this process is really as safe as the article claims.

reply posted on 4-1-2013 @ 09:13 AM by happykat39

Originally posted by OtherSideOfTheCoin
They already have technology that will clean the air in infection control wards and in operating rooms therefore I don’t see these machines becoming common place in hospital wards.

But these robots don't just clean the air. They also clean every surface in the room they are placed in. Re-read he article and you will see that they accomplish that with a micro fog that permeates the entire room and all of it's surfaces. Even UV sanitizing lights just clean the air and surfaces that are in "line of sight" and close enough to be in range. And you cannot expose a patient to constant use of one of them.

Just the fact that hospital acquired infections were reduced by over 60% by using them proves their efficacy.

reply posted on 4-1-2013 @ 09:28 AM by Grimmley

reply to post by happykat39

S&F OP...

I have worked in a hospital for over 12 years and one of my jobs I had to do was decon. Part of the problem with these bugs is communications. Hear me out a second.

Let's say we have a patient in hospital room and is on some level of procautions, contact or airborne or droplets etc. This patient gets better and goes home. The room however is still "dirty". The staff places the room in for cleaning. When the cleaning crew comes they forget to pass on that the room was under precautions. Room is not cleaned to the standards of the protocals. The bugs that are left now start becoming stronger and more resistant to cleaning agents, except bleach. Bleach is awesme kills EVERYTHING..

The se machines would be a great asset to fight this problem.

Nice find.

Grim

reply posted on 4-1-2013 @ 09:58 AM by luciddream

reply to post by happykat39

Interesting but i think the vaporizer should bee switching between multiple chemicals... Bacterias can build a degree of immunity to Hydrogen Peroxide. Best way is to switch between different aerosols... H2O2 > Ethanol > IPA etc..

Another thing about Antibacterial soap is that... ALL SOAPS ARE ANTIBACTERIAL.. in fact antibacterial soap are sometimes less effective because they have extra added ingredients that less surface reaction between sources.

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