A useful friend against COVID-19 — Another advantage of using a robot during the outbreak of a virus is that it's not only immune, but unlikely to spead it. And though it does necessarily sometimes come into contact with humans, Moxi can self-clean and self-disinfect. While it doesn't have a speech interface — Diligent Robotics says it won't deploy that sort of feature anytime soon because it's chosen to focus its energy on more pragmatic functionality — Moxi's outwardly appearance is amiable, if not downright cute.
Rise of the machines — Faced with the new and hithertoo never seen demands the COVID-19 pandemic is placing on medical infrastructure, anything that can help is welcome. Robots of various sorts have demonstrated their utility and ease, with developers in China, Seattle, Italy, and elsewhere relying on all manner of robotic assistants to variously deliver food, water, medicine, and even clean patients' rooms.
Beyond the world of healthcare, robots like the autonomous, shelf-scanning Tally are helping workers restock empty shelves, place price tags on products, and spot promotions for shoppers. It's certainly not the takeover we've been warned about by popular culture and science fiction. Instead, we're witnessing an increase in human-robot cooperation. Frankly, we'll take all the help we can get right now.