The Tate Modern is hosting a vaccination clinic as the UK begins its reopening

2021-07-14T03:00:00-04:00

The Tate Modern will turn into a mass walk-in Covid-19 vaccination centre this Friday night, offering first and second Pfizer jabs to anyone over 18. The iconic venue will be hosting the pop-up vaccine site in its Turbine Hall, offering Londoners exclusive access to galleries for the night and a unique setting to get protected against Covid.

Vaccination rates in London have fallen recently. All four Tate galleries have been fully reopened since May following a 14-month partial closure that reduced overall visitorship by 80%. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced the reopening of the country on July 19th despite pushback from some critics pointing to variant-fueled infection rates as cause for concern.

An in-depth feature by CityLab recently highlighted the complications of adapting large-scale architecture like the Tate into infrastructure for vaccination sites against a once-in-a-century pandemic like COVID-19. Other civic institutions in the US and Canada have been volunteering their services significantly throughout the past year.

Time Out London has more on the vaccination drive here.

Brooklyn-based manufacturer partners with Rensselaer robotic team to develop rapidly deployable COVID-19 vaccination rooms

2021-01-28T14:02:00-05:00

Pvilion, a Brooklyn-based manufacturer of rapidly deployable robotic structures, is working with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on a project to use computer automation to improve its manufacturing process.

The partnership comes in response to the growing need for rapidly deployable temporary structures where patients can safely receive COVID-19 vaccinations and medical professionals can interact safely.

Rendering of HEXT. Image courtesy of Pvilion.

Pvilion was recently awarded a Phase II, $1.5 million Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract by the United States Air Force (USAF) Rapid Sustainment Office (RSO) to deliver its rapidly deployable, flexible Hands-Off Expeditionary Tent, also known as "HEXT."

Rensselaer has now partnered with Pvilion to develop a "group of self-aware, human-directed robots to assist in manufacturing a product similar to Pvilion's HEXT."

"The robotic precision will permit Pvilion to increase consistency in its quality assurance processes," sai...

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The Tate Modern is hosting a vaccination clinic as the UK begins its reopening

Brooklyn-based manufacturer partners with Rensselaer robotic team to develop rapidly deployable COVID-19 vaccination rooms