Targeted and Intelligent Sanitization with RPD Technology

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A robot that detects, reaches, and disinfects contaminated surfaces in a targeted way: this is the outcome of the project “Responsive Precision Disinfection for Environmental Surfaces” (RPD), funded by Innosuisse. It marks a new frontier in the sanitization of healthcare and public environments through autonomous and adaptive technologies.

The innovation was driven by the Institute of Systems and Applied Electronics (ISEA) and the Institute of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Technology (MEMTI) at SUPSI, in collaboration with the Ticino-based company 99Technologies, which specializes in patented hydrogen-peroxide-based surface disinfection solutions.

The developed technology is based on a completely new approach: Reactive Precision Disinfection (RPD). Unlike traditional systems that saturate environments with uniform amounts of disinfectants, RPD works selectively, intervening only where it is needed.

Specifically, the RPD technology can:

  • Automatically identify surfaces to be disinfected
  • Navigate autonomously and safely, avoiding obstacles
  • Generate an ultra-fine mist in a targeted area
  • Adjust the treatment intensity according to actual needs
  • Monitor and document each intervention via smart sensors

Thanks to these features, it ensures shorter execution times, higher effectiveness, and more sustainable use of resources, particularly in large or geometrically complex environments. Potential applications are broad, ranging from hospitals and the pharmaceutical industry—where preventing the spread of pathogens is crucial—to the routine sanitization of public buildings such as schools, shopping centers, and transportation systems.


 

An Alliance Between Technological Innovation and Industry Expertise

By combining the expertise of ISEA’s research area in mechatronic systems and MEMTI’s thermofluid dynamics laboratory, the SUPSI team developed the robotic system along with navigation and control algorithms, as well as the targeted mist delivery system. 99Technologies, on the other hand, contributed its decades-long experience in designing automated environmental disinfection systems, widely adopted in the healthcare sector.

At the heart of 99Technologies’ devices is a proprietary disinfectant solution that, once aerosolized, becomes an ultrafine mist capable of covering every exposed surface with proven biocidal action. Until now, such systems followed an “all-or-nothing” approach, indiscriminately treating entire spaces. The new RPD technology revolutionizes this paradigm by enabling precise disinfection, targeting only the areas that truly require intervention.

The outcome is a fully functional industrial prototype that marks a turning point in environmental sanitization. With plans already underway to bring the system to market in the coming years, 99Technologies aims to lead the way toward a new generation of sustainable, efficient, and adaptive disinfection solutions.

This achievement stands as a clear example of how collaboration between applied research and industry can deliver groundbreaking innovations – solutions that not only meet today’s needs but also anticipate tomorrow’s challenges.

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