SK Telecom announced Monday that the company has introduced a 5G-based disinfection robot at a Severance Hospital branch in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province.

It is the world’s first such hospital robot utilizing the next-generation telecommunication technology, the company added.

The machine “Keemi” uses a real-time location system, through which it can find the location of missing patients and analyze patient density within the hospital.

The robot comes with an artificial intelligence-based facial recognition solution to monitor visitors’ temperatures and check if they are wearing masks at the hospital. The robot is also equipped with a voice assistant system that could guide visitors to follow social distancing rules.

The hospital is equipped with 5G mobile networks serviced by SK Telecom, which allows the robot to roam around the hospital and perform its tasks.

The telecommunications firm’s robot comes with an ultraviolet disinfection system to remove bacteria and germs around the hospital as well. It is capable of disinfecting various harmful bacteria, according to a test conducted by Korea Conformity Laboratories.

SK Telecom and Yongin Severance Hospital began developing the disinfection robot since the two entities signed a memorandum of understanding in April 2019. The project was supported by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and Korea Health Industry Development Institute as part of the government’s “Digital New Deal.”

By Shim Woo-hyun (ws@heraldcorp.com)