At the latest edition of ISSA PULIRE, the players who attended highlighted the evolution of the professional cleaning. During the event, Hagleitner Hygiene International and Makita shared the top step on the podium at the third edition of the Product of the Year Award. The XIBU 2WIPE hybrid by Hagleitner Hygiene International heralds a new age in the world of sanitizing wipes. It is an automatic dispenser of pre-moistened wipes, generally of the sort used for sanitizing surfaces. The dispenser senses the approach of a hand and opens a dispensing aperture that closes automatically once the wipe has been extracted. The machine dispenses the wipes without any contact whatsoever, which means its contents remain protected. So no dry wipes sit on the top of the flow pack and no germs are introduced by dirty fingers. An app monitors the shelf life, which is particularly important in hospitals where the effectiveness of sanitizing wipes is compromised if they pass their expiration date. The DRC300Z HEPA by Makita uses innovative LiDAR sensor technology and a front camera sensor that helps to map and save up to five rooms, the cleaning of which can be managed using a smartphone and tablet app. The rotating front brushes of the robot channel dirt toward a central rotating brush so that captured dirt can be separated. A vacuum suction function can be used to boost the cleaning power of the brush. The dust container has a 3-litre capacity, separates heavy from light particulates, and is equipped with HEPA-standard air filters. The on-board control panel can be used to program start and stop times, as well as to activate warning lights and sounds if the machine is going to be used in active work areas such as hubs and warehouses.
Besides, ISSA has established the ISSA Distinguished Industry Award to recognize the activities carried out by companies in the sector in spreading the culture of cleanliness. The winner of the prize was the chemical company I.C.E. FOR.
During the trade fair, the winner of the first edition of the ISSA PULIRE Hackathon has been announced: the Papernet team, who presented a project that combine nature and technology. The three members of the team from the Mathematical Engineering and the Managerial Engineering faculty of the university Politecnico di Milano were Stefano Zoni, Matteo Fagnani, Irene Ferrari. The student participants imagined themselves in the role of a services and facility management company bidding for a contract offered by a large logistics company. Their task in this role was to design and present a project to help the logistics company realise the following ESG objectives: minimize environmental impact through the complete electrification of equipment; reduce energy costs through local energy generation (e.g., rooftop solar panels); enhance employee loyalty and engagement by automating mundane, hazardous, and dirty tasks; improve employee wellbeing by ensuring a healthy and safe working environment; digitize and automate warehouse management, compliance, and governance functions. To achieve the goal of a cleaner building while respecting environmental criteria, the team developed a project focused on a system that combines nature and robots, to integrate natural elements into a building. For example, walls covered with plants, to reduce the formation of dirt on the external walls, or the use of phytoremedicines in which some species of plants are used to filter the water from chemical residues so that it can be reused in the washing processes and cleaning. Sensors arranged in strategic points of the building send data to robots that intervene to carry out the cleaning service where necessary.
