Robots have demonstrated their crucial role in pandemics - and how they can help for years to come

May 6, 2020

A delivery robot from the company ''Starship'' is seen, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, in Milton Keynes, Britain, April 21, 2020. REUTERS/Andrew Boyers - RC229G9I2E2O

This robot is delivering food to vulnerable people in the UK. Image: REUTERS/Andrew Boyers

Robin R. Murphy

Raytheon Professor of Computer Science and Engineering; Vice-President Center for Robot-Assisted Search and Rescue, Texas A&M University

Vignesh Babu Manjunath Gandudi

Graduate Teaching Assistant, Texas A&M University

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A variety of uses. Image: R. Murphy, V. Gandudi, Texas A&M; J. Adams, Center for Robot-Assisted Search and Rescue

A robot uses pulses of ultraviolet light to disinfect a hospital room in Johannesburg, South Africa. Image: MICHELE SPATARI/AFP via Getty Images

Workers in Kunming City, Yunnan Province, China refill a drone with disinfectant. The city is using drones to spray disinfectant in some public areas. Image: Xinhua News Agency/Yang Zongyou via Getty Images

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