3 Ways Robots are Helping at Home and in the Hospital

As populations age in North America and around the globe, a shortage of caretakers for the elderly is a serious concern. Assistive robots, though, are being created for tasks that will help the elderly function and maintain enough independence to continue living in their own homes.   

Workers in factories who are concerned about the safety of collaborative robots should know about the delicate ways that assistive robots help in places as diverse as the home and the operating room. They are designed to be safe and flexible.

Assistive robots will grow in demand as the medical robot market expands. The overall market is expected to grow from $4.2 billion in sales in 2015 to $11.4 billion in 2020, as noted in this global forecast described on the website Markets and Markets.

Here are three ways medical robots are improving healthcare and our quality of life.

Robots in the Operating Room

Robots are a “trusted sidekick” for healthcare professionals, as described in the article Robots and Healthcare Saving Lives Together on the Robotic Industries Association (RIA) website.

Automation will not replace a surgeon or technician, but it can supplement their hard-earned skill. One of the specific uses covered in the article is using robot-guided laser to cut bone. Improved precision is one of the benefits in addition to reducing soft tissue damage, promoting faster healing, and allowing for complex 3D reconstruction.

Robots for the Elderly

Some activities we take for granted, until our mobility is impaired. A Danish company is developing an assistive robot that helps elderly and others use the bathroom. A robot with the quirky name, Melvin, assists people with dressing and undressing. Waiting for help to go to the bathroom is no longer necessary.

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The assistive robot was developed by the Danish municipality of Aalborg and LT Automation ApS. It was one of the most popular exhibits at RoboBusiness Europe 2016.  

End users played an important role throughout the development process because they saw and experienced the technology differently than the engineers.

Robots to Assist with Movement

Robotic wearables may never be a fashion craze, but the use of prosthetics that mimic human muscles can help those recovering from strokes to learn how to walk. The use of specially equipped gloves and braces can protect people who do heavy lifting like soldiers and construction workers.

An associate professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who is a double amputee and a graduate student have been studying how a person’s legs move while walking.

Every angle and movement throughout the legs, from the hips all the way down to the joints in the foot, will be analyzed. A write-up on Roboticstrends.com, MIT Maps Human Movement to Improve Assistive Robots, describes how the model will be used in making mechanical devices for any part of the lower body.

Benefits could extend to those who do heavy lifting like soldiers and construction workers.

A company well-known for motors is finding demand in the area of exo-skeletons. On robotics.org, a technical paper from Maxon Motors features news about a Cybathlon in Zurich, Switzerland showcasing the technology that will allow paraplegics to walk again.

In Maxon Drives Help People Walk Again, it’s pointed out that robotic suits and devices must be lightweight and allow the user to be agile.

The field of robotics has an array of uses that benefit lives in the workplace and around the house. Stay informed on the developments with resources through A3.