A robot that uses the same technology as a self-driving vehicle has been created. Now the robot is being tested to transport medicines around hospitals, in the UK.
This auxiliary Bot is used to carry and deliver recipes and other items around Milton Keynes University Hospital, and help reduce pressure on human staff.
These are creations of the British company Academy of Robotics, which has been working on autonomous technology for its self-driving vehicle 'Kar-Go'.
Just like Kar-Go, this bot uses sonar and LiDAR technology to overcome obstacles such as people, wheelchairs, and hospital beds.
Known as Milton, the bot was being tested at the Milton Keynes University Hospital before potentially being launched to another hospital in 2023.
Milton has navigated from A to B inside the hospital, but next year will start delivering medicines on certain routes to help staff.
Feedback from trials will be used to decide whether this robot can be safely scaled across the NHS and introduced to other hospitals across the country.
"How people feel when they interact with technology is also very important in hospitals," said William Sachiti, founder and CEO of the Academy of Robotics, as quoted by the Daily Mail.
We have been working with the @mkhospital’s team throughout 2022 to create a custom-designed solution. Today we’re proud to reveal our latest innovation: our first Helper Bot, “Milton” #healthTech #NHS #healthcare #Automation #roboticsainews #NHSTrusts pic.twitter.com/ZFI41Vylsn
— Academy Of Robotics (@WeMakeAI) December 29, 2022
"This assistant boy exists to try and make life a little easier for hospital staff and patients - to always be there when needed and step aside when not needed," said Sachiti.
"We hope that this technology will offer a positive experience for all and we will continue to test and improve both the technology and the experience it creates when we improve this program," said Sachiti.
The trial aims to reduce the time patients spend in hospital waiting for their medication, which is often the last step before they can be sent home.
Milton, who looks like a penguin, will navigate between hospital pharmacies and hospitalized wards selected over a considerable distance.
The robot has holds to carry medicines, which human staff must open when they reach their goals.
Before bringing the robot to the hospital, the company tested it in a physical hospital simulation at its new headquarters, the disabled RAF Netishead site in Norfolk.
Milton is designed to work closely with hospital staff through online engagement and live workshops attended by workers from various departments.
The Academy of Robotics is also the creator of Kar-Go, an emissionless delivery vehicle capable of traveling at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour.
Kar-Go has been piloted at the Brize Norton Air Force base in Oxfordshire, to deliver equipment, equipment, and supplies to personnel.
The car has level 4 autonomous driving which means it is capable of all driving functions, but at this stage remote operators or safety drivers may need to take over in some conditions occasionally.
Kar-Go is also powered by electricity, meaning reducing greenhouse gas emissions that are dangerous and can help RAF lead to a promise made earlier to become net zero by 2040.
Net zero means each emission will be balanced with a scheme to offset the equivalent amount of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.
Kar-Go also delivered medicines to people's homes during the Covid pandemic.
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