JPMDP: Joint base placement and multi-configuration path planning for 3D surface disinfection with a UV-C robotic system

To effectively mitigate the spread of epidemics, disinfection robots are increasingly utilized for automatic disinfection. However, tradition robots and disinfection methods cannot ensure controllable disinfection coverage, potentially causing damage to sensitive surfaces and humans. In this paper, we introduce a novel Ultraviolet -C disinfection robot system built on the mobile manipulator structure. We propose a new multi -side disinfection end -effector to broaden the disinfection scope and improve adaptability to complex surfaces. In order to coordinate the movements of the base and manipulator, we propose a joint base placement and multi -configuration disinfected path planning(JPMDP) method. The algorithm generates the minimal number of mobile base placements and forms the disinfection path with the shortest working time. We have conducted extensive experiments in both simulated and real environments. Experimental results demonstrate that our system offers more comprehensive coverage in less time compared to traditional strategies, making it more efficient and adaptable to complex environments.