RAPID: Teleoperated Robot Systems in Support of Health Care Workers

扩大后的埃博拉检测单位将允许医护人员通过在高传染性病原体和病原体之间建立物理隔离来减少他们对高传染性病原体的接触，例如埃博拉病毒病。远程控制的机器人系统将允许医护人员执行一些任务，而无需身体靠近潜在的感染源，因此将极大地降低他们感染正在治疗的疾病的风险。拟议的系统既将降低医护人员感染的风险，又将提高患者接受的护理质量：通过减少穿上和脱下防护服的时间要求，医护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，还是在未来高传染性疾病的爆发中。该方法将重点放在三个方面：远程操作的移动操作，轻松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。一个模拟的埃博拉检测装置将在六个月内进行演示。它将集成新的硬件，解决无线操作的问题，并与医疗保健专业人员协商确定机器人的任务。将对保护和净化系统进行评估，并对整个系统的有效性进行评估。然后，该系统将与WPI合作，集成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.