Public transport is an essential component for any working city and vital to city dwellers who have to commute every day. Subways, in particular, are considered one of the most efficient means of mass transit, but they also have an inherent flaw that has become the center of attention at the moment — they can be massive incubation sites for diseases like Covid-19.

For cities like Hong Kong, whose Mass Transit Railway transports millions of passengers every day, this poses a great risk to public health. To mitigate the spread of the disease, the government-owned railway company has rolled out new robots that assist in the disinfection of trains and stations. According to the official statement, the small robots are there to help the cleaning staff by spraying disinfectants on all surfaces and crevices. The robots are also deployed in areas where confirmed Covid-19 patients have been to help decontaminate the area.

Shaped like mini-fridges on wheels, the robots form part of the Chinese government’s efforts to counter the spread of Covid-19. Since the outbreak, technology has been at the epicenter of the fight. It has helped authorities to automate risky cleaning operations in public spaces, allowing people to work from home, and facilitates reporting on new cases in real-time.