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EOHSI/Rutgers research: Exploring the utility of robots in exposure studies

A real-time photo of the inside of the CEF during the robotic painting from the back (left) shows the placement of the drywall, robot, paint, and the THC analyzer sampling inlet. A photo from the front of the CEF (right) shows the placement of the VOC monitors and TD tubes. The distance between the robot and each drywall panel is 1.17 m in front and 1.2 m on each side

Clifford Weisel, Ph.D.

Robots that apply paint can collect data on potentially
harmful contaminants, according to a Rutgers-led study in the Journal of Exposure Science &Environmental Epidemiology.

To study human exposure to chemicals, researchers at Rutgers University and ExxonMobil Biomedical Sciences had a robot paint drywall and measure the compounds released as paint dries, which creates the “fresh-paint smell.”

The findings showed that the levels of volatile organic chemicals measured by the robot were consistent with modeled estimates for painting with water-based paint.

Going forward, robots would allow industrial hygienists, exposure scientists and other health science professionals to collect data on contaminants released from consumer products during painting, welding, cleaning and other human tasks.

Read the complete study

Watch the video

Source: January 2020 – Rutgers News Release

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