Dubai-headquartered Transguard Group in conjunction with US-based multinational company Sealed Air is currently trialing cleaning robots at Dubai Festival City Mall in what is considered as a first for the UAE and the wider region.

There are three different types of cleaning robots in the Sealed Air Diversey Care products range called Intellibots. Each machine is designed for a particular type of floor and environment. The robot on trial at Dubai Festival City Mall, is the Hands-Free Cleaning HydroBot Scrubber, which is specifically intended for hard floors and is ideal for retail environments, such as indoor shopping malls.

“The versatile HydroBot allows the operator to switch between manual cleaning and Hands-Free Cleaning, so at the push of a button the operator can walk away to clean in other areas,” said Charlotte Butt, senior manager of mobilisation, Transguard

The Hands-Free Cleaning operating system incorporates up to 19 sensors, giving the robot a 360-degree view of its surroundings and allowing it to operate and clean on its own. Advanced navigation and sensors detect obstacles as well as people – stopping to let them pass before proceeding – and stairs, to prevent unwanted spills.

“Supervisors can also monitor progress at any stage and receive wireless ‘end of shift’ report, including the location of the robot, operator identity, running times and the specific areas cleaned,” added Butt.

The HydroBot also comes equipped with Eco Save which is an advanced four-stage purification system that can filter water to one micron, providing clean, reusable water and eliminating up to 85 per cent of its wastewater and chemicals, which significantly lowers its impact on the environment.