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与埃博拉病毒病等高传染性病原体建立物理隔离，从而减少他们与这种病原体的接触。远程控制的机器人系统将允许卫生保健工作者在没有身体接近潜在感染源的情况下执行一些任务，因此将大大降低他们感染他们正在治疗的疾病的风险。拟议的系统将既降低卫生保健工作者的感染风险，又将提高患者得到的护理质量：通过减少穿防护服和脱防护服的时间要求，卫生保健专业人员可以集中精力照顾患者。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，还是在未来爆发的高传染性疾病中。该方法将侧重于三个要素：远程操作的移动操作，易于清除机器人污染的防护设备，以及埃博拉治疗设施的人员跟踪系统。一个模拟埃博拉测试单元将在6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的任务。对防护和去污系统进行评估，并对整个系统的有效性进行评估。然后，该系统将与WPI合作整合到一个更广泛的设施中。

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.