Science News Roundup: South Korea turns COVID-19 testing booth contactless; Boeing assessing launch dates in August for Starliner space capsule and more

An eclectic assembly of household items like pots, pans and an old television monitor, it is now named the "Delta robot" in a nod to the highly contagious variant of the coronavirus that has ripped through Indonesia. South Korea turns COVID-19 testing booth contactless A South Korean hospital has upgraded a COVID-19 testing booth to become a mobile contactless clinic that can test people and enable telemedicine for basic treatment.

Following is a summary of current science news briefs.

Indonesian village turns unwanted trash into COVID helper

A homemade robot designed by Indonesian villagers and scientists for fun has found a new use during the pandemic - bringing food, and hopefully a smile, to self-isolating residents who have contracted COVID-19. An eclectic assembly of household items like pots, pans and an old television monitor, it is now named the "Delta robot" in a nod to the highly contagious variant of the coronavirus that has ripped through Indonesia.

South Korea turns COVID-19 testing booth contactless

A South Korean hospital has upgraded a COVID-19 testing booth to become a mobile contactless clinic that can test people and enable telemedicine for basic treatment. Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital says it has developed the one-stop clinic to protect staff and free them from the burden of wearing full-body protective gear in the sweltering heat.

Boeing assessing launch dates in August for Starliner space capsule (Aug. 9)

Boeing Co said on Monday it was assessing multiple dates this month for the launch of its CST-100 Starliner space capsule to the International Space Station. The company last week postponed the capsule's much awaited launch after discovering a glitch in its propulsion system valves during pre-launch checks.

(With inputs from agencies.)