The number of lives lost due to the COVID19 pandemic has led to a lot of innovations, most of them being directly related to health. Other innovations are seen in the modification of furniture shapes and their method of use to minimize physical contact between people. Here we recommend automation, especially automation in public places, to help reduce the rate of contagion in the future.
It is natural for large corporations and governments to spend money on the automation of their facilities. However, the area of automation that encourages social distancing and minimizes the chance of different people touching the same objects should be getting a lot more innovative attention than it did before the pandemic.
An example of an existing automation system is the automatic door which opens when someone is in front of it. Voice assistants are like the heart of home automation. They can be used more extensively in companies so that they have control over as many movable parts as possible. Their role in the management of projects comes as an added advantage. For example, a worker could order the voice assistant to open a drawer, flush the toilet or even help them clean their table. Other ideas that can be implemented for better social distancing are self-cleaning toilets and floors. Usually, the people who face the highest risk of contagion in a company are those who clean it. Self-cleaning structures reduce the risk of contagion by almost eliminating the need for Janitors in a company.
A downside of this type of automation is that it can make companies become conspicuous targets for malicious attacks. There have been cases where companies had to pay ransom to get their systems back online after being attacked by hackers. Another possible downside of excessive automation is that it can reduce social interaction among the company’s workers. To reduce this effect, free video call services should be made available within the company’s premises. The video call services should be made more accessible than written messages or voice messages to encourage better communication between workers.
The automation implementations can be set up in more modest forms at residential buildings. If the expenses are not very convenient then they can be focused on the areas that visitors have access to.
Samuel Bello Jul 24, 2021