National University Hospital (NUH): Autonomous Restroom Cleaning Pilot
Hivebotics conducted a multi-restroom pilot at NUH Medical Centre to validate autonomous cleaning in a live hospital environment. The deployment achieved >85% coverage across key fixtures, demonstrated turnkey operation by place-makers, and confirmed feasibility of extracting routine cleaning from manual workflows in hygiene-critical healthcare settings.
Published: August 25, 2025
National University Hospital (NUH): Autonomous Restroom Cleaning Pilot
Overview
From 15 to 25 August 2025, Hivebotics conducted a 7-day live pilot deployment of Abluo, its autonomous restroom-cleaning robot, at National University Hospital (NUH) Medical Centre, Level 4, in partnership with ISS Facility Services.
The objective of the pilot was to validate Abluo’s cleaning efficacy, workflow integration, usability by place-makers, and readiness for deployment in a high-traffic hospital environment. The trial focused on real-world operation across male, female, and handicap restrooms under active hospital conditions.
The pilot demonstrated strong cleaning performance, high acceptance by on-site staff, and positive feedback from NUH management recommending future deployment.
Deployment Details
- Location: National University Hospital (NUH), Singapore
- Partner: ISS Facility Services
- Trial Period: 15–25 August 2025
- Live Operation: 18–24 August 2025
- On-site Team: 2 Senior Engineers, 1 Executive
- Restrooms Tested: Male, Female, Handicap (Level 4 Medical Centre)
Test Environments
Male Restroom
- Profile: 3 urinals, 3 sinks, 2 cubicles
- Purpose: High-usage public restroom testing
- Focus: Urinal cleaning, sink coverage, floor vacuum performance
Female Restroom
- Profile: 3 sinks, 4 cubicles
- Purpose: Multi-cubicle workflow validation
- Focus: Path planning, bowl cleaning consistency, floor coverage
Handicap Restroom
- Profile: 1 sink, 1 toilet bowl
- Purpose: Compact space testing
- Focus: Accessibility, navigation accuracy, tight-space operation
Pilot Timeline
Setup & Mapping (16–17 Aug)
Initial mapping, system calibration, internal workflow testing, and preliminary cleaning quality validation.
Live Pilot (18–24 Aug)
Full autonomous operation including time-motion studies, repeated cleaning cycles, and daily demonstrations.
Showcase & Debrief (22 & 25 Aug)
Demonstrations to NUH management and operational stakeholders, followed by debrief with ISS Facility Services.
Cleaning Operations
Cleaning Cycles
| Area | Touch-Up Clean | Deep Clean |
|---|---|---|
| Male Restroom | ~21 minutes | ~50 minutes |
| Female Restroom | – | ~48 minutes |
| Handicap Restroom | – | ~11 minutes |
Cleaning Methods
- Urinals: Steam and water + steam
- Sinks: Water + steam
- Toilet bowls: Water + steam
- Floors: Steam vacuuming
Key Results
Cleaning Efficacy: 80–85% Stain Removal
✅ Post path-tuning validation
- Sinks: >90% coverage
- Urinals: >85% coverage
- Toilet bowls: >80% coverage
- Floors: >75% coverage
Hard-to-reach areas (e.g. rear of bowls, under water line, tight spaces under sinks and urinals) were identified as improvement areas for future iterations.
Workflow Integration
✅ Turnkey operation for place-makers
- After basic restroom preparation, workers simply activated the robot
- Hybrid workflow validated: robot for routine and deep cleaning, humans for detailing and inspection
- Deep cleaning can be scheduled at end of day with minimal disruption
- Cleaning speed within expectations, with 10–20% optimization potential identified
Place-Maker Acceptance
✅ Easy to operate with beneficial impact on work
- Less than 1 hour of training required for basic operation
- User interface considered intuitive and easy to understand
- Place-makers reported reduced physical strain and improved ergonomics
- Positive reception to robot as a co-worker rather than a replacement
Stakeholder Feedback
ISS Facility Services
- 50+ representatives attended live demonstrations
- Highlighted potential to reduce physical strain for ageing workforce
- Noted seamless integration into existing shift workflows
- Strong interest in scaling deployment across hospital contracts
NUH Management
- Acknowledged approximately 85% cleaning effectiveness
- Expressed interest in deployment of future models
- Positive feedback on automation potential and long-term productivity impact
Environmental & Sustainability Impact
Water & Resource Efficiency
- Significantly reduced water consumption compared to manual cleaning
- Steam-based cleaning reduces chemical handling requirements
- Lower environmental impact per cleaning cycle
- Reduced PPE dependency for place-makers
Operational Readiness
Mapping & Navigation
- Mapping completed within expected timelines
- Navigation stable and repeatable across multiple cycles
- System demonstrated ability to generalise across different restroom layouts
- Cross-area deployment validated within the same floor
Environmental Challenges Observed
- Uneven flooring affected vacuum consistency in some zones
- Tight spaces under sinks and urinals limited reach
- Compact handicap restroom highlighted need for footprint reduction
Positives Validated
- Strong endorsement from NUH management
- High acceptance by place-makers
- Seamless integration with ISS workflows
- Reliable mapping and navigation
- Clear reduction in manual cleaning burden
- Lower physical strain on cleaning staff
Recommended Improvements (Product Roadmap)
Based on pilot feedback, the following enhancements are in progress:
- Floor Cleaning – Vacuum suction and contact pressure upgrade
- Deep Cleaning Coverage – Enhanced bowl and urinal edge coverage through repeated paths
- Footprint Reduction – Smaller form factor for compact hospital restrooms
- Path Optimization – Improved sink and bowl trajectories
- Side Brush Extensions – To reach under sinks and urinals
- Floor Tool Redesign – For better edge and corner performance
Strategic Impact
Healthcare Sector Validation
The NUH pilot demonstrated Abluo’s readiness for:
- Public hospital restrooms
- High-traffic medical centre facilities
- Ageing workforce environments
- Hygiene-critical operations
It validated the feasibility of extracting routine and deep cleaning from manual workflows in hospital settings.
Impact Summary
Operational Impact
Automated a significant portion of routine and deep cleaning tasks, reducing manual workload.
Workforce Impact
Lower physical strain for cleaning staff and improved job ergonomics.
Sustainability Impact
Lower water usage and more efficient cleaning cycles.
Conclusion
The National University Hospital pilot successfully validated Abluo’s ability to operate autonomously in a real hospital environment, delivering strong cleaning performance, high usability, and positive stakeholder feedback.
With targeted improvements already incorporated into Hivebotics’ next-generation roadmap, Abluo is positioned for scaled deployment across hospitals and healthcare facilities, addressing workforce challenges while maintaining stringent hygiene standards.
About Hivebotics
Hivebotics builds autonomous robotics solutions for hygiene-critical, high-traffic environments. Abluo is our flagship restroom-cleaning mobile manipulator, combining steam, water jetting, vacuuming, and AI-driven path planning to deliver consistent, safe, and sustainable cleaning.
Interested in deploying Abluo at your facility?
Contact us at hello@hivebotics.tech or visit www.hivebotics.tech