RAPID: Teleoperated Robot Systems in Support of Health Care Workers

扩大后的埃博拉病毒检测单位将使卫生保健工作者能够通过在他们和病原体之间建立物理隔离来减少他们与埃博拉病毒病等高度传染性病原体的接触。远程控制的机器人系统将允许医护人员在不接近潜在感染源的情况下执行某些任务，从而大大降低他们感染正在治疗的疾病的风险。 拟议的系统将降低卫生保健工作者的感染风险，并将提高患者接受的护理质量：通过减少穿脱防护服的时间要求，卫生保健专业人员可以专注于患者护理。最终，这里提出的工作将拯救生命，无论是在当前的埃博拉疫情中，还是在未来的高传染性疾病疫情中。该方法将集中在三个要素上：远程操作的移动的操纵，便于机器人去污的防护设备，以及埃博拉治疗设施的人员跟踪系统。一个模拟埃博拉病毒测试单位将在六个月内进行演示。 它将集成新的硬件，解决无线操作问题，并与医疗保健专业人员协商确定机器人任务。将对保护和净化系统进行评价，并对整个系统的有效性进行评价。 该系统随后将与WPI合作纳入一个更广泛的设施。

The expanded Ebola Testing Unit will allow health care workers to reduce their exposure to highly contagious pathogens, such as Ebola Virus Disease, by creating a physical separation between them and the pathogen. The remote-controlled robot system will allow the health care worker to perform some tasks without having the be physically close to sources of potential infection and will, as a result, dramatically reduce their risks of contracting the disease they are treating. The proposed system will both reduce the risk of infection to health care workers, and will increase the quality of care that patients receive: by reducing the time requirements of donning and doffing protective clothing, health care professionals can concentrate on patient care. Ultimately, the work proposed here will save lives, both in the current Ebola outbreak, and also in future outbreaks of highly-infectious diseases.The approach will focus on three elements: tele-operated mobile manipulation, protective equipment for easy decontamination of the robot, and a person tracking system for Ebola treatment facilities. A simulated Ebola testing unit will be demonstrated within six months. It will integrate new hardware, address the issues of operation over wireless and identify the robot tasks in consultation with health care professionals. Protection and decontamination systems will be evaluated and the effectiveness of the complete system evaluation. The system will then be integrated in a broader facility in collaboration with WPI.