Robots Under COVID-19 Pandemic: A Comprehensive Survey

Area of Science:

• Robotics
• Pandemic Response
• Artificial Intelligence

Background:

• COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns necessitated alternative solutions to traditional human labor.
• Robotic and autonomous systems offer intrinsic immunity to viruses and prevent pathogen transmission.
• The pandemic accelerated the adoption and development of robotic technologies across various sectors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comprehensively review over 200 reports on robotic systems developed or repurposed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• To provide insights for academia and industry on the advantages and challenges of these robotic systems.
• To identify potential new robot capabilities and applications spurred by the pandemic.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of over 200 scientific reports and publications.
• Categorization of robotic systems based on their applications during the pandemic.
• Analysis of advantages and challenges for each reviewed robotic system.

Main Results:

• Robotic systems are effective solutions for challenges including diagnosis, screening, disinfection, surgery, telehealth, care, logistics, and manufacturing.
• Robots demonstrated advantages in maintaining operations and reducing disease transmission during lockdowns.
• Significant technical hurdles remain for the widespread implementation of advanced robotic systems.

Conclusions:

• Robotics systems are well-suited to address numerous pandemic-related issues, from healthcare to logistics.
• The pandemic has acted as a catalyst for advancements and new applications in the robotics industry.
• Further development is expected to propel the robotics industry forward, driven by pandemic-induced innovations.