In 2019 HHS, the largest privately-owned support services company in the U.S., made history – the first that will deploy a fleet of Avidbots Neo floor-scrubbing robots in hospitals. It began several years earlier. The healthcare facilities management industry – among HHS' key markets – was in a state of flux and custodial services were feeling the squeeze. As medical facilities sought ways to reduce overhead, patient support functions like housekeeping and custodial were natural targets. HHS was being asked to do more with less.

Walmart has been testing autonomous floor-cleaning robots in five of its stores, LinkedIn reports. The floor scrubber, developed by Brain Corp., is equipped with cameras, sensors and LiDAR to help it maneuver down aisles and around obstacles. And it can largely navigate itself after first being driven by a person in order to learn its path. Phil Duffy, VP of innovation and marketing for Brain Corp., told Fox Business that the company's technology is in approximately 50 malls and retailers nationwide. "We are also in airports, educational campuses, corporate campuses and industrial sites. In addition, we will be launching in Japan, through our partner, SoftBank Robotics, by summer 2018," he said.