Pittsburgh International Airport has teamed up with Pittsburgh-based Carnegie Robotics to deploy autonomous floor scrubbers that use UV technology designed to kill microbes in high-traffic areas.

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, airports are searching for ways to enhance their cleaning methods and researchers believe UV-C rays, which have been used to sanitise hospital rooms for decades, can be applied in other high-traffic settings with similar results.

The partnership is the first step of an airport-wide strategy to deploy technology solutions and multi-layered cleaning processes to enhance the health and safety of travellers.

As a result of successful implementation, airport officials are looking at incorporating this UV disinfecting technology in additional ways, including on handrails of escalators, moving walkways, lift buttons and other high-touch areas.

The aim of course is to ultimately increase cleanliness and help restore confidence in travelling.

Built by Danish firm Nilfisk, the self-driving robots were designed and manufactured by Carnegie Robotics using AI and robotic systems that can map an area and then clean it without human help.

The water requires a change after 2.5 hours and batteries recharged every six at the robot repair shop.