European scientists to develop healthcare robot

To improve the quality of healthcare, these focal issues emerge: fast identification and location of patients needing immediate attention; reduction of human errors; effective cleaning in hospitals; wider reach of specialist medics, possibly attending patients remotely. To achieve this, IWARD presents a robot swarm delivering support to oversee activities in healthcare environments, providing a multipurpose, cost-effective and scalable solution to enhance quality of healthcare.

Four major tasks are: attendance, recognition, communication and support (assisting/cleaning). Attendance means to monitor hospital wards by robots acting as a dynamic swarm. Recognition points out, that the swarm is able to recognize patients or objects needing attention, providing immediate information about the location and needs of the concerned patients. The robots can be equipped with different adaptable hardware components for floor cleaning and delivery of food, linen, medicine etc. All mobile robots are capable of providing patients and visitors with guidance and information. It provides easy to use but high tech interaction interfaces like voice control through mobile and fix-mounted robots.

Each robot will consist of a basic platform mounted with a module of sensors and equipment for different tasks. So for example, a robot could be fitted with a laser thermometer to measure body heat from a distance or cleaning equipment to mop up spills. Another task could be to guide visitors around the hospital.

While the hardware and modules will use off-the-shelf technology, the swarm-based intelligence will require groundbreaking work, as will the software platform to allow the robots to operate semi-autonomously.

"The idea is not only to have mobile robots but also a full system of integrated information terminals and guide-lights, so the hospital is full of interaction and intelligence," said Thomas Schlegel, the project leader from the Fraunhofer Institute.

"Operating as a completely decentralised network means that the robots can co-ordinate things between themselves, such as deciding which one would be best equipped to deal with a spillage or to transport medicine," he continued.

Each robot would be fitted with a suite of sensors, allowing it to move around the hospital, using proximity sensors to avoid collisions and inbuilt cameras to explore its environment. One robot would be able to warn another if its cameras see a collision.

Information could be communicated between the robots by using either a wireless Local Area Network (LAN) or Bluetooth technology or even infrared lasers.

The robots could then communicate with patients and pass messages on to staff.

Dr Schlegel said "IWARD will mean that hospital staff will be able to spend more time with their patients rather than doing other basic tasks."

The project began this month and the team hopes to have developed a three-robot prototype system by 2010.

For further information, please visit IWARD Project Fact Sheet