GlobalLogic and Haystack Robotics build a hospital UV disinfection robot
GlobalLogic engineered an autonomous UV disinfection robot for Haystack Robotics, built as a reusable platform, and says hospital adoption still faces cost and safety hurdles.
GlobalLogic, through its Silicon & Embedded division, helped Haystack Robotics of Santa Clara, California, engineer an autonomous mobile robot that disinfects hospital rooms with ultraviolet light. The project began during the COVID-19 pandemic, when manual cleaning struggled to cover rooms evenly. The robot combines real-time perception, onboard intelligence and navigation, and is meant to work around people with little supervision.
The design keeps the moving base separate from the UV module, so other tools could be mounted later. Kunaal Mahanti, GlobalLogic's physical AI lead, said parts of the platform, including motor control and ROS-based sensor fusion, have been reused in other projects. The robot has two modes: it can find a room on its own, or follow a nurse or caregiver who opens doors and makes sure the space is ready.
Why it matters
GlobalLogic names three obstacles for hospital robots: a return on investment that was easy to justify during the pandemic but is harder now, medical compliance rules, and staff who dislike bulky machines in corridors and elevators. Chief technology officer Prem Balasubramanian added that hospitals are built around human workflows, so robots can stall in crowds. The company gave no figures on units deployed, prices or customers, and said it has done few other hospital deployments. Watch for whether this platform moves beyond disinfection into other hospital tasks.
