Issue link: https://resources.mouser.com/i/1442769
16 By Duncan Ashworth, Founder of Floorbotics Sanibot™, the patented robot developed by FloorBotics. (Source: Courtesy of Digi International) FloorBotics Brings Connectivity and Intelligence to Innovative Floor-Cleaning Robot "Digi had tools that were easy to use. We ordered a development kit and had it up and running very quickly. The cellular plan worked right out of the box – and we were really pleased with that. Plus, the data rates are super-low." Founded in 2000 and headquartered in Texas, FloorBotics™ is a robotic software and hardware development company responding to the market demand for cost-effective alternatives to labor-intensive floor cleaning equipment, including a line of set-and-forget robotic cleaners. The company's innovative products rely on proprietary navigation software, compact physical designs, and connectivity from Digi XBee ® Cellular routers to reduce costs, increase safety, and eliminate drudgery and increase safety in floor cleaning. Business Challenge It's the $30 billion problem that just won't go away: Hospital- acquired infections (HAIs). In the healthcare industry where lowering costs and improving outcomes are the overarching goals too many patients enter a hospital, only to contract an infection from a hospital environment that can be very difficult to keep clean. A nurse call-button quickly hits the floor before the patient picks it up again. A patient's gown or a blanket briefly touches the floor, where germs and viruses silently attach themselves to be transmitted to the patient. When a patient's stay is extended (or the patient is readmitted) due to an HAI, the hospital often bears the full cost of treatment. Penalties can accrue and rankings can suffer, making hospitals all the more motivated to provide and maintain high standards of cleanliness. But traditional cleaning techniques often fall short, leaving behind germs that can infect patients. Enter Sanibot™, the patented robot developed by FloorBotics. Like the robotic floor vacuums that are popular in consumer markets, Sanibot™ offers a set-and-forget, unattended cleaning experience. The difference: Instead of using a vacuum to suck up dust, dirt, and particles, Sanibot™ shines a controlled beam of ultraviolet light to disinfect the floor surface According to Duncan