Biotechnology for Medical Engineering Company (BIOTECH) plans to start assembling robotic devices in Egypt during the second half (H2) of 2021, according to the company’s Director Sherif Khattab.
Khattab told Daily News Egypt that these robots can be deployed in hospitals, airports, train and metro stations, and government agencies to carry out disinfection and sterilisation operations using ultraviolet waves.
According to Khattab, the robot uses ultraviolet rays to penetrate the virus’s cell walls and destroy its molecular structure. He explained that the rays the new robots use are 42,000 times stronger than any other robot working with the same technology.
The robot consists of a moving base equipped with multiple sensors that allow it to determine its path and not collide with objects around it, and a group of ultraviolet lights has been installed at the top of the robot. It can be controlled using a computer or it can perform its task automatically, as it scans the surrounding place and create a digital map.
Khattab revealed that the company is negotiating with one of the partners specialized in this industry in Egypt to establish a production line to manufacture this robot in Egypt. The company is currently choosing the location of the new production line, whether in the 10th of Ramadan or the 6th of October cities. It is expected that the percentage of local components in the first phase of the project will reach 25%.
The company plans to sell about 200 robots in Cairo and Alexandria governorates during the first six months after establishing the production line.
The company is currently in contact with EgyptAir and the Egyptian Ministry of Health to approve the device and obtain quality certificates, noting that this robot has been used in America for more than a year.
The price of a single robot exceeds about $150,000, so the company plans to manufacture it locally to reduce its cost. The robot will also be available for rental at about $10 per operation.
