Singapore University of Technology and Design has developed the country’s first robot capable of detecting mosquito breeding areas and spraying insecticide.
The robot, named Sable, is small and portable for both indoor and outdoor use. It can climb building rooftops and enter drains to check for stagnant water and spray insecticide. The robot can also squeeze into narrow spaces to inspect for rodent issues, water pipe leaks, or damaged wires.
Typically, inspecting mosquito breeding sites requires multiple staff members to climb onto rooftops and check every corner, followed by manually spraying insecticide. The new robot only needs one staff member to operate remotely. It is equipped with cameras both at the front and back to capture live footage for the staff, storing over an hour of video to facilitate monitoring and progress tracking.
Tan Ke Yi, a Research Assistant in Engineering Product Development at SUTD, said that compared to traditional methods, using the robot can reduce manpower and time by about half.
“Staff just need to climb up to the ceiling to place the robot inside; the work can then be done without having to constantly stay at heights, significantly reducing the risk of falls and enhancing staff safety.”
The research team and various Town Councils have launched comprehensive testing and evaluation on different rooftops and building types. Jalan Besar Town Council began using this robot two months ago to inspect rodent issues above false ceilings and plans to use it for checking stagnant water on HDB rooftops.
The research team will next introduce the robot to the market through the company in charge of managing SUTD campus facilities.
The company’s Executive Director, Chan Kim Yew, shared the upcoming plans.
Chan Kim Yew said the company’s targeted potential partners are pest control companies or facilities management service providers, and a robot rental model will be adopted. In this way, clients can use the robot at a lower price while ensuring quality.