University hospital unveils robots to assist in Covid-19 cases

A fleet of robots, designed and built with the assistance of Toyota Motor Thailand to reduce contact between Covid-19 patients and medical staff, was unveiled at Bangkok’s Ramathibodi Hospital yesterday. A a neurosurgeon at the hospital and head of the team that came up with the idea, presented them in a media briefing.

“A prototype was developed in March, but it too bulky and slow so we turned to Toyota Motor Thailand for help. Within 10 days of working together, we overcame the problems.”

The doctor says each robot weighs only 40 kilograms and can carry up to 10 kilograms. Each unit costs 100,000 baht to produce and they’re operated via remote control over the hospital’s wi-fi network. 2 of the robots are already at work on a ward for male Covid-19 patients, where they’re used for simple tasks like delivering meals and medicine or providing videoconference links between patients and doctors.

The dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Mahidon University, where the hospital is located, the hospital and Toyota Motor Thailand will deliver 7 similar robots to hospitals in the southern provinces, namely Patong Hospital in Phuket, Yala Hospital, Pattani Hospital and Satun Hospital to assist with Covid-19 patients.

One nurse says the robots have become a valuable asset to her medical team.

“Covid-19 is very new for us. At the beginning of the outbreak, medical staff were unhappy when having close contact with the patients. These robots have already helped to lessen our anxiety.”

Similar robots have been used at Chulalongkorn University’s hospital, in Singapore and elsewhere to diminish risk when ddealing with Covid-19 infections

SOURCE: Bangkok Post