An autonomous, modular robotic platform, enabling disinfection and telepresence in a care setting

这个创新的英国项目使Ice Nine能够专注于开发一种自主的模块化机器人平台，主要用于医院和护理机构。最初开发的有效载荷包括一个消毒装置和一个远程呈现装置。这将允许一个自主的机器人平台对一个空房间进行重复和可靠的消毒，而不需要人员在房间里移动消毒设备。机器人平台包括避障和安全功能，以避免对设备、人员和自身造成损害。远程呈现设备将节省护理人员宝贵的时间，并提高隔离区的安全性。通过提供“车轮上的通信”，机器人平台可以导航到病人的病床上，给家人或朋友打电话，并在需要的时候一直在那里。或者，护士或医生可以在没有个人防护装备的情况下完成对隔离区的全面检查。这绝不能取代人与人之间的护理，但可能会减少个人防护装备的浪费，并降低护理人员生病的可能性。这些只是最初的有效载荷设备。该平台将通过设计新的有效载荷，实现对平台功能的迭代改进。有可能为基础机器人平台提供洗衣篮、病人娱乐或紧急医疗设备，从而扩展其功能，减少电子浪费并提高成本效益。COVID-19让很多人措手不及，我们需要迅速采取行动，帮助尽可能多的人。我们还需要展望未来，减少类似事件再次发生的可能性。Ice Nine希望，通过为护理机构开发机器人系统，我们可以提高病人康复的机会，减轻每个人都依赖的前台工作人员的负担。

This innovate UK project enables Ice Nine to focus on developing an autonomous, modular robotic platform to be used primarily in hospitals and care settings. Initially developed payloads include a disinfectant device and a telepresence device. This would allow an empty room to be disinfected by an autonomous robotic platform, repeatably and reliably, without the need for personnel to physically move a disinfectant device around a room. The robotic platform includes obstacle avoidance and safety features to avoid damage to equipment, humans and itself.A telepresence device will free up valuable care worker time and improve safety in quarantine zones. By offering "communication on wheels", it would be possible for the robotic platform to navigate to a patients bed, call family or friends and be there as long as is required. Alternatively, a nurse or doctor could complete a generalised check of a quarantine area without PPE. This would by no means act as a replacement for human-to-human care, but may offer a reduction in PPE waste and reduced likelihood of care workers becoming sick.These are just the initial payload devices. The platform will enable iterative improvement to the functionality of the platform through design of new payloads. It would be possible to offer laundry basket, patient entertainment or emergency medical equipment to the base robotic platform, expanding its functionality, reducing electronic waste and improving cost-effectiveness.COVID-19 has taken a lot of people by surprise and we need to act fast to help as many people as possible. We also need to look to the future, to reduce the likelihood of anything like this happening again. Ice Nine hopes, that by developing robotic systems for care settings, we can improve the chances of recovery for patients and reduce the burden on the front-life staff that everyone depends on.