Abstract
S
Called a “butler robot,” Relay was recently awarded the Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Robotics and Automation Award by the International Federation of Robotics. 1 The robot is designed to transport goods autonomously, navigating its surroundings through the use of depth-sensing 3D vision cameras and laser radar technology. Unlike similar technologies that could only operate along fixed routes, Relay can safely navigate human-occupied spaces, making it an ideal solution in a range of industries, including hospitality, logistics, and healthcare.
Imagine a robot that could routinely deliver medications around the clock, and then return itself to a docking station to charge, without needing any human interaction. It never tires, never needs a break, and never makes mistakes because of a 24-hour shift. This is the growing reality of the interaction between humans and robots. They are fulfilling functions that can easily be automated, allowing us to direct our energies elsewhere—and to focus our attention more effectively on accomplishing the tasks in front of us.
What is a robot? While the term may conjure images of metallic, humanoid behemoths, there are largely three main functions that define a robot: the ability to act on environmental stimuli, sense, and perform logical reasoning. Many roboticists agree that a robot needs to have a body so that it can create physical motion in its environment. For instance, although Google's search algorithm is incredibly sophisticated, it isn't a robot. 2 Your home's Roomba, however, is a clear example of a ubiquitous and widely accepted robot, particularly because it can be operated without needing any extensive input. Once you turn it on, it becomes largely autonomous—and that is a textbook example of robotic success.
Among robotics manufacturing companies, one of the major goals is to integrate robots in people's daily lives. Robots should not be considered sci-fi villains or harbingers of the AI apocalypse. Instead, we should look at them as seamless, vital tools in a range of industries. This is particularly true as the Baby Boomer generation reaches retirement age, leading to increasing demands on healthcare needs as people live longer lives. However, longer life-spans do not necessarily mean that people remain healthy in their senior years, and robotic technologies can alleviate the issues associated with care by increasing independence and social participation, increasing quality of care, and reducing labor costs.
Robotic healthcare technologies remain particularly relevant in Japan, which is one of the world's oldest countries. Due to its shrinking labor force and increasing demands for elderly care, the Japanese government expects to be short of 380,000 health nurses by the year 2025—and some experts place the figure at 500,000. 3 Part of the solution may rely on Japan's historic status as a worldwide leader in robotics: the country's development of improved robotic technologies has skyrocketed in the past few decades, and the country stands at the forefront of embracing robots into their culture. One such example is Paro, a therapeutic robot that is intended to help patients in hospitals and extended care facilities. Designed to look like a baby harp seal, Paro has been found to improve socialization, stimulate interaction, and reduce stress—which are significant benefits in extended care facilities with elderly patients who are battling dementia.
While there is significant potential for robots to solve large-scale problems in healthcare, one problem remains: we remain decades away from robots that can replace more sophisticated human labor functions. For instance, researchers in Japan are developing Robear, a large, plastic caregiving bear that is intended to assist with patients who have mobility needs. Robear may be particularly useful for patients who need to be lifted, transferred, and moved throughout the day. In theory, the robotic bear is strong enough to lift a patient from a hospital bed, but gentle enough to place a fragile human body safely in a wheelchair. In practice, however, that level of finesse remains elusive. At this time, Robear's creator states that the robot is “more of an academic creation.” 4
In the United States, a portion of robotics research has focused on assisting professional care and surgical procedures. One robot making headway in this space is the da Vinci, a surgical system that allows surgeons to operate on patients through incredibly finite incisions via a magnified, 3D, high-definition system and small wristed instruments. Applicable in a range of fields, from cardiac to urologic surgery, the surgeon remains in control of the system while working with greater reach and flexibility. While da Vinci cannot perform logical reasoning in the strictest definition of robotics, it represents a clear direction healthcare is headed: providing efficient care in a way that humans alone cannot.
Today, robots clean our homes, deliver basic goods, and provide basic companionship. In the near future, the extent of their autonomy may grow, and that development stands to benefit the increasing needs of the global healthcare industry directly. Robots may soon be able to improve the distribution of pharmaceuticals, alleviate physically and mentally exhausting tasks for caregivers, and lessen the workload of medical professionals. As a whole, robotic technologies are a vital part of our collaborative future, and now is the time to dive headfirst into this developing frontier.