Humanoid robot in healthcare concept.
Although software and hardware innovations have generated a lot of buzz in recent years, robotics is one of the fastest-growing areas of technology. This sector is becoming increasingly important in almost every industry and has the potential to make a huge impact, especially in healthcare.
One of the most well-known robotics companies is Boston Dynamics, which has made a name for itself by developing innovative robots that can provide practical solutions to everyday automation and work needs. The company offers products that help organizations and businesses with a variety of tasks, from conducting inspections and assisting with facility management to warehouse automation and expanding supply chain needs. Other companies that have emerged in this space are not typical robotics companies, but have innovated in the field out of necessity with their own processes. For example, Tesla has announced its goal of developing “a universal, bipedal, autonomous humanoid robot that can perform unsafe, repetitive, or boring tasks.” Another major player in this space is Amazon, which has created a huge robotic infrastructure for its supply chain and order fulfillment. Amazon’s Hercules robot, for example, can reportedly lift nearly 1,250 pounds, move easily through rooms, and even make complex decisions.
For healthcare, this advancement has become increasingly relevant. Robots in the technical sense are nothing particularly new in a clinical context. In fact, robot-assisted surgery has gained a lot of traction in recent years, particularly with innovations like Intuitive’s da Vinci Surgical System, which has exponentially increased the scope and efficiency of minimally invasive surgery. Other systems have made incredible advances in patient interaction. During the Covid-19 pandemic, for example, healthcare organizations around the world deployed robots to be able to talk to patients, communicate with staff in facilities, and perform essential functions to avoid exposing people to the risk of infection. Two concrete examples were Mitra Robot and Moxi, which helped organizations significantly during the pandemic.
Undoubtedly, the pace of innovation suggests that a connection needs to be made between the relatively new field of robotics in healthcare and the rapidly growing technology in manufacturing and supply chain (e.g. Amazon, Boston Dynamics, etc.) to have a meaningful impact. While healthcare organizations may not have the same use cases or requirements as large manufacturers or fulfillment centers, ultimately the same technology can be leveraged in healthcare for automation, labor, and various other tasks. For example, the practice of consumer and retail pharmacies still requires a lot of physical labor when it comes to filling prescriptions and managing physical medications. Another example is the supply chain workflow for hospitals, where there are often millions of SKUs that need to be managed across devices, equipment, medical products, and supplies. This could also be of utmost importance in the world of research and medical science. According to Intel, an early pioneer in the field, there is a significant opportunity for automation in laboratories: “Intelligent, automated laboratory instruments help laboratories operate more efficiently and provide more advanced testing services, while laying the foundation for AI-driven workflows and procedures.” In the world of surgery, too, the focus of today’s systems is on robot-assisted surgery. However, with major advances in artificial intelligence and computing power, there could be more automation and opportunities for controlled autonomy.
Indeed, the most important question will be how these companies and innovators will ensure safety and accuracy in robot delegation. While mistakes in manufacturing and supply chain can cause significant financial losses, mistakes in healthcare can ultimately literally cost lives. Therefore, there must be no margin for error and the threshold for adoption of these devices in healthcare must be extremely strict and monitored.
