Even in the event that they’re not afraid of heights, it nonetheless takes somebody with nerves of metal to work as a window washer, dangling 100 flooring above the bottom with a squeegee in hand. An organization known as Skyline Robotics desires to make window washing a lot safer as a result of as an alternative of people, the elevate that’s lowered down the facet of a constructing is staffed with robots instead.

According to Skyline Robotics, the window cleansing business, together with these towering constructions dotting the skylines of main metropolises, is a profitable enterprise with over $40 billion in income yearly. The drawback is that 74% of educated window washers are over 40 years previous, and there’s not sufficient younger blood to exchange them. It’s simple to see why that’s the case. As anybody who’s ever seen the native information reporting on a daring window washer rescue already is aware of. It’s a dangerous gig, even when it comes with wonderful views. One potential answer? Enter the robots.

Until actual home windows are finally all changed with ultra-high-resolution screens (mark my phrases, it’s gonna occur) Skyline Robotics hopes to resolve the window washer dilemma with robots: particularly, what seems to be KUKA Robotics arms outfitted with a big cleansing brush and a system that routinely pumps clear water by it.

Officially named Ozmo, the robotic might be mounted to the identical elevate mechanisms that carry a number of window washers up and down the facet of a constructing by the usage of a motorized crane system on the roof. Unlike people, nonetheless, Ozmo has a for much longer attain, permitting one or two of the robotic arms to probably clear a a lot bigger area on each move. As with different robotic employees, Ozmo doesn’t take breaks, want lunch, or ever should go to the toilet. And because it’s completely bolted to the elevate it’s using, there are no harnesses to test and re-check earlier than a shift, and will one thing go flawed, there’s much less threat to human life.

If you reside in New York and work in a high-rise construction, there’s a very good likelihood you may get an opportunity to see one of many Ozmo robots at work as a result of Skyline Robotics not too long ago introduced a brand new partnership with an organization named Platinum, Inc. that at present has cleansing and upkeep contracts with 65% of the Class A buildings (a classification utilized to the most recent, most trendy skyscrapers) in New York City. It’s the primary time the Ozmo robots might be deployed within the US, so you may quickly anticipate a pointy lower within the variety of ‘window washers dangling in peril’ tales in your native information.