ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

An Israeli start-up has created a lightweight window cleaning robot said to be able to climb the height and breadth of a building in the style of Spiderman.

The Verobotics robot moves around like a crab lifting one arm, moving it, attaching it to the glass, lifting the other and so on.

Weighing around 20lb, the brush-bearing robot is lowered from the roof and uses no liquids. Instead it relies on the mechanical force of the brush against glass, while also carrying sensors for inspection purposes.

The Verobotics robot was created by Ido Genosar and Itay Levitan. And the model is quicker, cheaper and safer than other window cleaning systems, according to Genosar.

"Its cameras provide a visual map with a navigation system for building owners which means it can also be used for predictive maintenance to save costs," he said.

The device fits inside a box that can be carried by one person. Previous attempts at automating high-level window cleaning have relied on placing robots into cradles and suspending them from cranes, according to Genosar. "We have come up with a truly disruptive technology," he said. "We believe that in 2024 we will manufacture and deploy more than 100 of our robots."

Verobotics has teamed up with Hong Kong-based robotic solutions company Robocore to provide robots to clean and inspect the exterior of many of the city's high-rise buildings.

The company plans to gradually deploy its robot in other markets including the US and Australia.