Category Archives: Robotics

As the coronavirus pandemic forces people to keep their distance, could this be robots time to shine? A group of scientists think so, and theyre calling for robots to do the dull, dirty, and dangerous jobs of infectious disease management.

Social distancing has emerged as one of the most effective strategies for slowing the spread of COVID-19, but its also bringing many jobs to a standstill and severely restricting our daily lives. And unfortunately, the one group that cant rely on its protective benefits are the medical and emergency services workers were relying on to save us.

Robots could be a solution, according to the editorial board of Science Robotics, by helping replace humans in a host of critical tasks, from disinfecting hospitals to collecting patient samples and automating lab tests.

According to the authors, the key areas where robots could help are clinical care, logistics, and reconnaissance, which refers to tasks like identifying the infected or making sure people comply with quarantines or social distancing requirements. Outside of the medical sphere, robots could also help keep the economy and infrastructure going by standing in for humans in factories or vital utilities like waste management or power plants.

When it comes to clinical care, robots can play important roles in disease prevention, diagnosis and screening, and patient care, the researchers say. Robots have already been widely deployed to disinfect hospitals and other public spaces either using UV light that kills bugs or by repurposing agricultural robots and drones to spray disinfectant, reducing the exposure of cleaning staff to potentially contaminated surfaces. They are also being used to carry out crucial deliveries of food and medication without exposing humans.

But they could also play an important role in tracking the disease, say the researchers. Thermal cameras combined with image recognition algorithms are already being used to detect potential cases at places like airports, but incorporating them into mobile robots or drones could greatly expand the coverage of screening programs.

A more complex challengebut one that could significantly reduce medical workers exposure to the viruswould be to design robots that could automate the collection of nasal swabs used to test for COVID-19. Similarly automated blood collection for tests could be of significant help, and researchers are already investigating using ultrasound to help robots locate veins to draw blood from.

Convincing people its safe to let a robot stick a swab up their nose or jab a needle in their arm might be a hard sell right now, but a potentially more realistic scenario would be to get robots to carry out laboratory tests on collected samples to reduce exposure to lab technicians. Commercial laboratory automation systems already exist, so this might be a more achievable near-term goal.

Not all solutions need to be automated, though. While autonomous systems will be helpful for reducing the workload of stretched health workers, remote systems can still provide useful distancing. Remote control robotics systems are already becoming increasingly common in the delicate business of surgery, so it would be entirely feasible to create remote systems to carry out more prosaic medical tasks.

Such systems would make it possible for experts to contribute remotely in many different places without having to travel. And robotic systems could combine medical tasks like patient monitoring with equally important social interaction for people who may have been shut off from human contact.

In a teleconference last week Guang-Zhong Yang, a medical roboticist from Carnegie Mellon University and founding editor of Science Robotics, highlighted the importance of including both doctors and patients in the design of these robots to ensure they are safe and effective, but also to make sure people trust them to observe social protocols and not invade their privacy.

But Yang also stressed the importance of putting the pieces in place to enable the rapid development and deployment of solutions. During the 2015 Ebola outbreak, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the National Science Foundation organized workshops to identify where robotics could help deal with epidemics.

But once the threat receded, attention shifted elsewhere, and by the time the next pandemic came around little progress had been made on potential solutions. The result is that its unclear how much help robots will really be able to provide to the COVID-19 response.

That means its crucial to invest in a sustained research effort into this field, say the papers authors, with more funding and multidisciplinary research partnerships between government agencies and industry so that next time around we will be prepared.

These events are rare and then its just that people start to direct their efforts to other applications, said Yang. So I think this time we really need to nail it, because without a sustained approach to this history will repeat itself and robots wont be ready.

Image Credit: ABBs YuMi collaborative robot. Image courtesy of ABB

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Robots to the Rescue: How They Can Help During Coronavirus (and Future Pandemics) - Singularity Hub

FIRST Robotics Team 1741 Red Alert Robotics based in Center Grove High School won the prestigious Chairmans Award at the Bloomington, Ind. district competition on Saturday, March 7. This award honors the team that best represents a model for other teams to emulate and best embodies the purpose and goals of FIRST.

Since Jan. 4, FIRST Team 1741 Red Alert Robotics has been working on a robot to compete in this years game, Infinite Recharge.SM. The team also did well in the robot competition by finishing the qualification matches as the seventh-ranked alliance captain out of 32 teams. Red Alert Robotics is in their 15th year of competition. This is their sixth chairmans award. By winning the most prestigious award given by FIRST, Red Alert has automatically qualified for the State Championship at Lafayette Jefferson High School, where they will compete against 31 other teams for a chance to qualify for the FIRST Championships in Detroit.

Combining the excitement of sport with the rigors of science and technology, the FIRST Robotics Competition is the ultimate sport for the mind. High-school student participants call it the hardest fun youll ever have. Students ages 14-18 get to work alongside professional engineers, build and compete with a robot of their own design, learn and use sophisticated hardware and software, develop design, project management, programming teamwork and strategic thinking skills, earn a place in the World Championships and qualify for more than $30 million in college scholarships.

Under strict rules, limited resources and an intense six-week time limit, teams consisting of 15-60 students, one to two coaches and three to 10 volunteer mentors are challenged to raise funds, design a team brand, hone teamwork skills and build and program industrial-size robots to play a difficult field game against like-minded competitors. Its as close to real-world engineering as a student can get. Volunteer professional mentors lend their time and talents to guide each team.

For more information, email Nathan Coulombe at ncoulombe@redalert1741.org.

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Center Grove-based robotics team wins at district competition - Southside Times

Dublin, April 02, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Collaborative Robots - Market Shares, Market Forecasts, Market Analysis, 2020-2026" report from Wintergreen Research, Inc has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Collaborative Robot markets valued at $2.3 billion in 2019 promise to grow to $13.3 billion by 2026. With the opportunity to participate in the 5G next-generation semiconductor markets. Collaborative Robots will achieve broad economies of scale, making them far more affordable and more available for the entire new industrial revolution.

Worldwide Collaborative Robots markets are poised to achieve remarkable uptake in the market. Next-generation collaborative robots promise to bring the biggest change in human labour that has ever occurred. The market for the products is not a huge market, but the ability to replace much human labour in factories and service jobs is a big deal. Whereas robot ability to complete repetitive tasks with speed, strength, and precision has been hampered, collaborative robots change that situation. Until now, industrial robots have been designed to work autonomously with safety assured by isolation from human contact.

Once human contact becomes possible, robots become a lot more useful. With collaborative robots, safety relies on lightweight construction materials. Rounded edges and limits on speed or force are essential aspects of collaborative robots. Safety depends on sensors and software used to implement collaborative interaction. Human cooperation adds dexterity, flexibility, and problem-solving to an industrial robot. Collaborative service robots can function as information robots in public spaces; logistics robots that transport materials within a building, inspection robots equipped with cameras and visual processing technologies.

Key Topics Covered

1. Collaborative Robots: Market Description and Market Dynamics

2. Collaborative Robots Market Shares and Forecasts2.1 Collaborative Robots Market Driving Forces2.1.1 Digitalization of Labor Reduces Complexity of Manufacturing2.2 Collaborative Robot Market Shares2.3 Collaborative Robot Market Forecasts2.3.1 Collaborative Robot Market by Payload Capacity2.4 Collaborative Robot Market Segments2.4.1 Autonomous Mobile Robots Market Shares2.4.2 Collaborative Robot Market by Application: Automotive Repetitive, Fetching and Carrying, Machine Feeding, Final Assembly, Inspection, Logistics, Patrolling, and Public Information2.4.3 Collaborative Robot Industry: (Automotive, Electronics, Metals & Machining, Plastics & Polymers, Food & Beverages, Healthcare),2.4.4 Collaborative Robot Market by Payload Capacity2.4.5 Industrial Robot Installed Base Units2.4.6 E-Commerce2.4.7 Picking, Packing, And Palletizing2.4.8 Welding Done by Collaborative Robots2.4.9 Collaborative Robotic Handling Materials2.4.10 Collaborative Robot Applications2.5 Collaborative Robot Prices2.6 Collaborative Robot Regional Market Analysis

3. Empowering Robots and Humans To Work Side-By-Side

4. Collaborative Robots Research and Technology4.1 Safety Standards for Collaborative Robots4.2 Collaborative Robot End-Use Cases4.3 Robots and Robot Systems - Safety Requirements ANSI/RIA R15.06-2012, Industrial4.3.1 General Motors has 35,000 Robots in Production4.3.2 GE Hendersonville

5. Collaborative Robots Company Profiles5.1 ABB5.1.1 IBM and ABB Working Together with Cognitive Visual Inspection Tools5.2 Aceita5.2.1 Acieta Partnered with FANUC5.3 Acronis International GmbH Collaborative Robots5.4 AMP Robotics5.5 Asiga5.6 Balyo5.7 Cognex5.7.1 Cognex Cameras5.8 Datto5.9 Epson5.10 Fanuc5.10.1 Fanuc CRX Series Collaborative Robots5.10.2 Fanuc5.11 Festo5.11.1 Festo Family-Owned Company5.11.2 Festo Collaborative Robotics5.12 Hahn Group / Rethink Robots5.13 IBM5.13.1 IBM Watson5.13.2 IBM / Softbank5.13.3 IBM and ABB Working Together with Cognitive Visual Inspection Tools5.14 inVia Robotics5.15 Kuka5.16 Locus Robotics5.17 Motoman5.18 Omron5.19 OnRobot5.20 Clearpath Robotics / OTTO Motors5.21 Productive Robotics OB7 Cobots5.22 Robotiq5.23 RightHand Robotics5.23.1 RightHand Robotics Japanese Subsidiary5.24 RobotWorx5.25 Shangtang Technology / SenseTime5.26 Schmalz5.26.1 Schmalz Collaborative Robots for Motoman5.27 Schunk5.27.1 Schunk Collaborative Robots for Motoman5.28 Seegrid5.29 Softbank5.30 Soft Robotics5.30.1 Soft Robotics Collaborative Robots for Motoman5.31 Stanley Black & Decker5.31.1 Stanley Engineered Fastening5.31.2 Stanley Assembly Technologies.5.32 Starship5.33 Techman Robot5.34 Teradyne / Universal Robots5.34.1 Teradyne5.34.2 Teradyne Acquired Mobile Industrial Robots5.34.3 Teradyne Acquired Energid5.34.4 Teradyne Acquired AutoGuide5.34.5 Teradyne Acquired Universal Robots5.35 Vecna5.36 List of Selected Collaborative Robot Companies

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A-Z List of Companies Mentioned

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/k8417g

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CONTACT: ResearchAndMarkets.comLaura Wood, Senior Press Managerpress@researchandmarkets.comFor E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

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Global Collaborative Robots Industry Valued at $2.3 Billion in 2019, is Expected to Surpass $13 Billion by 2026 - Yahoo Finance

Tally inside a store.

Grocery stores are considered essential businesses during the coronavirus outbreak, and employees have been working overtime to keep shelves stocked. As retailers struggle to hire more workers to meet rising demand, the use of robots may grow. Brad Bogolea, co-founder and CEO of Simbe Robotics, shared more in an interview.

Simbe Robotics' autonomous shelf-scanning robot, Tally, has been used in Schnucks Markets and Giant Eagle stores. The no-maintenance robot has more than 40 sensors that allow it to avoid obstacles as it navigates the floor to scan shelves. Tally can check 15,000 to 30,000 products per hour as it audits inventory through the help of cameras, computer vision and machine learning. It is able to identify prices, product placement, availability and special promotions.

"Tally strategically, autonomously roams up and down store aisles, quietly scanning shelves and identifying out of stock, misplaced and mispriced items. The data Tally collects about shelf health helps store teams by automating the tedious, often dreaded task of inventory and freeing up human workers to service customers in store, improving the shopper experience," Bogolea said.

Tally the robot.

Stores can use the data Tally collects in real-time, so they can optimize products on the shelves. This also helps them make better informed ordering and product placement decisions while analyzing trends. The data can be shared with retailers consumer packaged goods (CPG) brand partners to make better business decisions.

"Amid the coronavirus outbreak, we are seeing unprecedented surges in demand for not only products in-store but for retail staff across the country. Our partners have responded by making their stores more accommodating by adjusting their operations to ensure the elderly and other at-risk communities have time to shop without crowds and giving store teams sufficient time to restock and sanitize. We know that some stores are modifying Tally's traversal times to best support their adjusted hours," Bogolea added.

Tally's data is also helping customers find things easier inside the store. Schnucks Markets integrated Tallys product location information into its customer-facing app, which helps both shoppers and newer employees who are not as familiar with the store layout find the exact product location in real-time, down to the aisle and shelf section.

"For shoppers, experiencing out-of-stocks can be frustrating. Statistically, we know that two out of five shoppers encounter empty shelves in place of the products they are looking for, simply due to retailers not optimizing their inventory. For customers, Tally helps retailers ensure the products they are looking for are in stock, priced correctly, and where they are expected to be on the sales floor, improving the overall shopping experience," Bogolea said.

Bogolea believes retailers can lean on robotics to empower their human team members without replacing the workers, which would lead to job loss. Allowing technology like Tally to take on the repetitive, time-consuming task of inventory frees up store associates to focus on higher priority work, like getting items back on shelves as quickly as possible. This reliance on technology to increase efficiency and minimize supply chain disruption in the stores will continue to grow.

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How Robots Are Helping Grocery Stores During The Coronavirus Outbreak - Forbes

As health care workers across the country plead for more protective equipment amid the coronavirus outbreak, the Woodrow Wilson robotics team is facing the face shield shortage with a tech-savvy solution.

The Woodrow Academy of Engineering and the RoboCats are putting together an armada of 3D printers to produce as many as 1,000 already-approved face shields a week to donate to the medical field, teacher Dan Garrison said in a Facebook video.

If we could, we would raise funds to just buy more of these, but they are not available now, so we are going to create them in homes all over our community and around DFW, Garrison said.

To produce the shields, they need community support. Students are asking neighbors to donate $5 or more to the Woodrow robotics nonprofit to pay for the first two weeks of production. The money may be tax deductible and will go toward purchasing supplies, such as filament, acetate and elastic bands.

The supplies will be given to students, coaches and mentors, along with a 3D printer that Garrison is rescuing from the school and delivering to homes.

Make a donation here.

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The Woodrow Wilson robotics team needs your help to make 3D-printed face shields for health care workers - Advocate Media

The "Global Robotic Surgery Consumables Market: Focus on Product Type, Application, End Use, 43 Countries' Data, Patent Scenario, and Competitive Landscape - Analysis and Forecast, 2020-2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Overview of the Global Robotic Surgery Consumables Market

Robotic surgeries have been in the healthcare landscape as early as 2000. Over the last two decades, the healthcare industry has witnessed an increasing preference for robotic-assisted surgeries, leading to an increase in the consumption of robotic surgery consumables. Although robotic-assisted surgeries account for less than 1% of the total number of MIS procedures performed across the world, the share is expected to up to 6% and above by the end of the forecast period.

The growing preference for robotic-assisted surgeries is expected to be driven by increasing healthcare expenditure and disposable income, making robotic-assisted surgeries affordable in developing countries. The key factor which holds back several end-uses from adoption robotic surgical systems is the high cost associated with the installation and maintenance of robotic surgery systems. It may be counter-intuitive to consider robotic surgery systems as expensive since they are priced over $2 million in some cases. However, a major chunk of the revenue is generated through recurring sales of robotic surgery consumables in the form of kits. Robotic surgery consumables are available both in single-use and reusable variants in the market. While manufacturers recommend the single-use consumables be disposed of after every surgery, reusable consumables are usually replaced after a certain number of procedures, i.e., seven on an average.

Competition in the market is high and is expected to increase during 2020-2030. Initially, Intuitive Surgical, Inc. was the only player with the FDA-approved robotic surgery platform - the da Vinci system. The patents initially filed by Intuitive Surgical, Inc. acted as barriers to entry for new market entrants, enabling Intuitive Surgical, Inc. to maintain the leading position in the market. However, owing to the expiration of initial patents and proper identification of target segments by new market entrants led to an increase in the level of market competition. Most new players are targeting those segments in which Intuitive Surgical, Inc. has a relatively weak presence, such as in orthopedics. The expiration of patents, however, is unlikely to pose a serious threat to Intuitive Surgical, Inc. in the future, as the market witnesses a high rate of patent filing activities, in which Intuitive Surgical, Inc. is one of the players at the forefront. Stryker Corporation is another leading market player with a significant market share. One of the key trends likely to be observed in the future is the miniaturization of the robotic surgery consumables, especially end effectors.

Robotic Surgery Consumables Market Forecast, 2020-2030

The Global Robotic Surgery Consumables Market Report the publisher, projects the market to grow at a significant CAGR of 11.37% during the forecast period, 2020-2030.

Scope of the Robotic Surgery Consumables Market

The report constitutes an in-depth study of the global robotic surgery consumables market, including a thorough analysis of the types of products. The study also presents a detailed analysis of the market dynamics and the estimation of the market size over the forecast period 2020-2030. The scope of this report is focused on the different types of instruments and accessories, along with different applications and end uses, as well as country-wise analysis.

The purpose of the study is to gain a holistic view of the global robotic surgery consumables market in terms of various factors influencing it, including regulations and technological advancements. The market has been segmented into product type, application, end-use, and region. The scope of this report is centered upon conducting a detailed study of the products allied with the global robotic surgery consumables market. In addition, the study also includes exhaustive information on the market opportunities, patent filing trend, competitive landscape, market share of leading manufacturers, the growth potential of each product, end-use, application, and region, as well as other vital information with respect to the robotic surgery consumables market.

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Key Questions Answered in this Report:

Key Topics Covered:

Executive Summary

1 Product Definition

2 Scope of Research

2.1 Key Questions Answered in the Report

2.2 Research Scope

3 Research Methodology

3.1 Primary Research

3.2 Secondary Research

3.3 Data Sources Categorization

3.4 Companies Profiled in the Report

3.5 Brief Overview of the Market Estimation Process

3.6 Data Validation

3.7 Assumptions and Limitations

4 Industry Analysis

4.1 Industry Structure

4.2 Industry Supply Chain Analysis

4.3 Regulatory Framework and Government Initiatives

4.4 Patent Analysis

4.5 Industry Opportunity Analysis

5 Competition Landscape

5.1 Market Share Analysis

5.2 Key Strategies and Developments

5.3 Product Mapping Analysis

5.4 Business Model Analysis

5.5 Competitive Benchmarking

6 Global Robotic Surgery Consumables Market Scenario

6.1 Assumptions and Limitations

6.2 Key Findings and Opportunity Assessment

6.3 Global Robotic Surgery Consumables Market Size and Forecast

6.4 Market Dynamics

6.5 Market Estimation Method

6.6 Key Vendors

7 Global Robotic Surgery Consumables Market (by Product Type), 2018-2030

7.1 Key Findings and Opportunity Assessment

7.2 Access and Facilitation Equipment

7.3 End Effectors

7.4 Closure

7.5 Other Consumables

8 Global Robotic Surgery Consumables Market (by Application), 2018-2030

8.1 Key Findings and Opportunity Assessment

8.2 General Surgery

8.3 Gynecology Surgical Procedure

8.4 Urology Surgical Procedure

8.5 Orthopedic Surgical Procedure

8.6 Cardiology Surgical Procedure

8.7 Head and Neck Surgical Procedure

8.8 Other Surgical Procedures

9 Global Robotic Surgery Consumables Market (by End-Use), 2018-2030

9.1 Key Findings and Opportunity Assessment

9.2 Hospitals

9.3 Ambulatory Surgical Centers (ASCs)

9.4 Others

10 Global Robotic Surgery Consumables Market (by Region)

10.1 Overview

10.2 North America Robotic Surgery Consumables Market

10.3 Europe Robotic Surgery Consumables Market

10.4 Asia-Pacific Robotic Surgery Consumables Market

10.5 Latin America Robotic Surgery Consumables Market

10.6 Rest-of-the-World Robotic Surgery Consumables Market

11 Company Profiles

11.1 Overview

11.2 Auris Health, Inc.

11.3 Corindus Vascular Robotics, Inc.

11.4 Intuitive Surgical, Inc.

11.5 Medrobotics Corporation

11.6 Medtech SA

11.7 Mazor Robotics Ltd.

11.8 Renishaw plc

11.9 Restoration Robotics, Inc.

11.10 Smith & Nephew plc

11.11 Stereotaxis, Inc.

11.12 Mako Surgical Corp.

11.13 THINK Surgical, Inc.

11.14 TransEnterix, Inc.

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/u9zrve

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200401005513/en/

Contacts

ResearchAndMarkets.comLaura Wood, Senior Press Managerpress@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

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Global Robotic Surgery Consumables Market Expected to Grow with a CAGR of 11.37% Over the Forecast Period, 2020-2030 - ResearchAndMarkets.com - Yahoo...

As the original epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, China was one of the top countries to deploy robotic technology to combat the coronavirus. As the fifth-largest economy, India is also looking to mimic that strategy in order to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

Stepping in where humans should not, robots are being used for jobs such as sanitizing hospitals and delivering food and medicines in many parts of the world and perhaps soon in India where experiments are underway to increase their role in combating COVID-19, an Economic Times article noted. As health workers, researchers and governments struggle to contain the spread of the pandemic that has infected more than 7,00,000 people globally and claimed more than 30,000 lives, robots are also being deployed for administering treatment and providing support to quarantined patients.

As mentioned, robots are already proving to be useful workaround tools in this new world of social distancing. While robotic technology is doing as much as possible now, this is a time researchers can use to learn how to deal with pandemics in the future.

Robotics technology can advance by providing a medium of communication via avatars and controls at large, convention-style gatherings.

COVID-19 may become the tipping point of how future organizations operate, researchers wrote in an editorial published by the journal Science Robotics. Rather than canceling large international exhibitions and conferences, new forms of gathering virtual rather than in-person attendance may increase. Virtual attendees may become accustomed to remote engagement via a variety of local robotic avatars and controls.

With the use of robots continually advancing, it would serve traders best to capitalize on this move to robotics with ETFs like the Robotics & AI Bull 3X ETF(NYSEArca: UBOT). Traders looking to capitalize on the move to robotics can use UBOT as a tool. UBOT seeks daily investment results equal to 300 percent of the daily performance of the Indxx Global Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Thematic Index, which is designed to provide exposure to exchange-listed companies in developed markets that are expected to benefit from the adoption and utilization of robotics and/or artificial intelligence.

Key characteristics of UBOT:

Will the introduction of more robotics in emerging markets (EM) gives it an advantage over developing markets? TheDirexion MSCI Emerging Over Developed Markets ETF (NYSEArca: RWED) offers investors the ability to benefit not only from emerging markets potentially performing well but from emerging markets outperforming developed markets.

RWED seeks investment results that track the MSCI Emerging Markets IMI EAFE IMI 150/50 Return Spread Index. The Index measures the performance of a portfolio that has 150 percent long exposure to the MSCI Emerging Markets IMI Index and 50 percent short exposure to the MSCI EAFE IMI Index.

On a monthly basis, the Index will rebalance such that the weight of the Long Component is equal to 150% and the weight of the Short Component is equal to 50% of the Index value. In tracking the Index, the Fund seeks to provide a vehicle for investors looking to efficiently express an emerging over developed investment view by overweighting exposure to the Long Component and shorting exposure to the Short Component.

For more relative market trends, visit our Relative Value Channel.

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Robots Could Increase Their Presence in India to Combat Coronavirus - ETF Trends

Pune-based startup NOCCA Robotics has decided to manufacture low-cost portable ventilators to make sure theres an adequate supply of this life-saving equipment, particularly during the coronavirus pandemic. Whats noteworthy is that the company plans to offer each ventilator for Rs 50,000, which is around three times cheaper than conventional ventilators that Indian hospitals currently use. Existing ventilators are built in India using imported components, and companies like AgVa Healthcare are considered primary manufacturers of the equipment.

Read -Coronavirus Pandemic: BMC To Acquire 50 More Ventilators

This small group of engineers used data from open-source medical supplies groups online to get credible ideas for building a portable ventilator. Initial tests have reportedly shown promise, although its too soon to tell if this will be effective in the long run.

NOCCA Robotics has also reportedly sought advice from medical and industry professionals in the U.S. which included a 90 minute brief on how to handle production of this equipment. Doctors say that the goal is to provide a portable ventilator thats suitable for Indian conditions.

26-year-old founder and CEO of NOCCA Robotics, Nikhil Kurele said - We are not experienced. But we are very good at making products easily. The robots that we make are much more complex to make. But this is a life-saving machine and carries risk, so we have to be very, very careful that we develop a perfect product which clears all approvals.

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Pune based NOCCA Robotics developing portable ventilators that cost one-third than current ventilators - Mumbai Live

NEW DELHI: Stepping in where humans should not, robots are being used for jobs such as sanitising hospitals and delivering food and medicines in many parts of the world and perhaps soon in India where experiments are underway to increase their role in combating Covid-19.

As health workers, researchers and governments struggle to contain the spread of the pandemic that has infected more than 7,00,000 people globally and claimed more than 30,000 lives, robots are also being deployed for administering treatment and providing support to quarantined patients.

The World Health Organisation has advised physical distancing for people around the world to prevent community level transmission of Covid-19.

Supplying essentials to homes and delivering treatment in high-risk areas such as hospitals has remained a challenge, and humans in many cases are now delegating to machines.

Earlier this month, a field hospital staffed with 14 robots opened in the Hongshan Sports Center in Wuhan, China, where the pandemic began.

The robots, supplied by Beijing-based robotics company CloudMinds, can clean and disinfect, deliver medicine to patients and measure their temperature.

In India, the Sawai Man Singh Government Hospital in the Rajasthan capital Jaipur is conducting a series of trials on a humanoid robot to check if it can be pressed into service for delivering medicines, and food to the Covid-19 patients admitted there.

iStock

Besides, Kerala-based startup Asimov Robotics has developed a three-wheeled robot that it says can be used to assist patients in isolation wards.

This will include helping with things like food and medication, something that nurses and doctors have been doing so far, putting them at larger risk of contracting the virus.

The idea of robots taking up jobs previously done by humans may feel dystopian but scientists believe machines can free up human hospital medical staff while limiting the spread of the virus.

"Robots can play a vital role during the present pandemic as they can minimise human intervention at all levels, starting from patient examination to patient care and drug delivery mechanism," Lovi Raj Gupta, executive dean of Science and Technology in Punjab's Lovely Professional University (LPU), told PTI.

"As the present pandemic's prevention and cure are centred around distancing, robots are to be brought in so that least human interaction is practised, especially with people who have been found positive and are kept in isolation," Gupta said.

India has reported 1.071 cases, including 29 fatalities.

"Medical workers are working day and night to protect infected people. Maintaining social distancing at hospitals is crucial to stop the spread of the pandemic,"? added Anita Gehlot, associate professor at LPU's School of Electronics and Electrical Engineering.

"In this scenario, robots can play an important role in maintaining hygiene at hospitals and supplying medicines and collecting garbage in patients, bedroom," she added.

According to an editorial published in the journal Science Robotics on March 25, robots can perform tasks such as disinfecting surfaces, taking temperature of people in public areas or at ports of entry, and providing social support for quarantined patients.

They can also collect nasal and throat samples for testing, and enable people to virtually attend conferences and exhibitions, according to the researchers, including those from Carnegie Mellon University in the US.

In each case, the use of robots can reduce human exposure to pathogens, which will become increasingly important as epidemics escalate, they explained.

iStock

The robots can take patients' temperatures and protect the safety of healthcare workers by reducing interactions with sick people. Similarly, a hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa, is using an ultraviolet (UV) light robot to disinfect the facility.

The hospital is using UV light instead of hydrogen peroxide, because it cuts cleaning time down from hours to five or ten minutes.

"For disease prevention, robot-controlled non-contact UV surface disinfection has already been used because Covid-19 spreads not only from person to person via close contact respiratory droplet transfer but also via contaminated surfaces," said the researchers.

"Opportunities lie in intelligent navigation and detection of high-risk, high-touch areas, combined with other preventative measures," they noted. Writing in the Science Robotics journal, the scientists explained that robots can be used for clinical care such as telemedicine and decontamination.

The researchers said the robots can also be used in logistics such as delivery as well as handling of contaminated waste and also reconnaissance, including monitoring compliance of voluntary quarantines.

The researchers particularly highlighted the role that robots can play in disinfection, cleaning and telepresence.

They said new generations of large, small, micro, and swarm robots that are able to continuously work and clean could be developed.

In terms of telepresence, the deployment of social robots can present unique opportunities for continued social interactions and adherence to treatment regimes without fear of spreading more disease, they said.

"Covid-19 may become the tipping point of how future organisations operate," the researchers explained.

"Rather than cancelling large international exhibitions and conferences, new forms of gathering -- virtual rather than in-person attendance -- may increase," they said.

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Coming soon to India, robots that sanitise hospitals, deliver food and help fight Covid-19 - Economic Times

As the coronavirus pandemic is taking a toll over the globe including developed countries, several countries have announced travel restrictions, work from home policies, and social distancing measures. Despite the advanced medical facilities and infrastructure in the developed countries, there is an overcrowding at the hospitals resulting in a surge in the demand for essential components such as respirators, masks, and other personal safety equipment.

Given that huge demand, the traditional processes might take time and this has given an opportunity for the 3D printing community to step forward to help during the global crisis. Notably, there are challenges in the same as medical devices are complicated and 3D printing of these can have unforeseen consequences. But there are some companies that have managed to overcome these challenges and have come up with essential components that help in treating or curbing the spread of coronavirus.

Not only 3D printing but also other tech startups operating in various industries such as robotics, healthtech, etc. have also come forward to unleash their expertise in an attempt to bring the global crisis under control. Lets take a look at the various innovative products such as 3D printed respirator valves to face shields that can be used in the battle against COVID-19.

Founder/s: Anna RobertsFounded year: NAFunding: NA

Manchester-based biotech firm Virustatic has developed a snood with a germ trap technology. The snood is a result of a 10-year project and it has been hurried into production due to the coronavirus outbreak. The developers claim that the fabric coating features a similar formation as carbohydrate structures on the cells surface that cover the oesophagus. They have come up with the technology by attaching glycoproteins to carbon cloth and other cheaper materials including cotton.

During tests, this snood developed by Virustatic has been successful in trapping 96% of airborne viruses. It is touted to be more breathable and flexible as compared to conventional masks. These snoods moulds to the wearers face and not only nose and mouth and is a one-fit-for-all solution.

Founder/s: NAFounded year: NAFunding: NA

KC Wearable is one of the leading smart wearable tech and innovation companies in China. Recently, the company launched its smart helmet called N901smart helmet for fast-screening of fevers in public spaces to combat COVID-19. This smart helmet lets users monitor the temperature of 13 people at a given time and it can scan 200 individuals per minute. This smart helmet could prove to be beneficial at a time when governments around the world are trying their best to curb the spread of coronavirus.

Notably, this helmet is already deployed to use by police in Shenzhen. It features an infrared temperature detector, a camera to read QR codes, an augmented reality visor, and 5G, Bluetooth and WiFi to beam the data to the nearest hospital. Featuring facial recognition technology, the smart helmet from KC Wearable will display the name of the person it is testing on the AR visor along with the persons medical history.

Founder/s: Cristian FracassiFounded year: 2014Funding: NA

Italy is one of the hardest hit European countries but that seems to have not stopped the tech startups in the country from coming up with essential products. While a hospital in Italy was running out of critical supplies, a 3D printing startup Isinnova came to its rescue with Venturi valves that are essential for Venturi Oxygen masks to work.

The companys first prototype using a 3D printer was ready in just six hour and it could supply the hospital with 100 working valves that were printed within a day. It is touted that these valves have very tiny holes and tubes of less than 0.8m, which is challenging to print these pieces. Moreover, as these are going to be used by hospitals, these should not be contaminated. The team at Isinnova has teamed with 3D printed adapter that can turn a snorkelling mask into a non-invasive ventilator for patients affected by COVID-19. This will help address the shortage of oxygen masks.

Founder/s: Wilfried VancraenFounded year: 1990Funding: 22.7 million

Door handles are one of the most common germ-infested objects in any place such as houses, factories, hospitals etc. Keeping this in mind, the Belgian 3D printing startup Materialise has come up with a 3D print hands-free door opener. Whats even more interesting is that the company has made this design available for download for free. The hands-free door handle attachment comprises two parts that have to be screwed to either side of a handle. And, all you need to do to open and close a door is to just use your elbow or arm to turn the handle.

Founder/s: Claus Risager, Rune K. Larsen, John Erland stergaardFounded year: 2013Funding: 44.3 million

Denmark-based Blue Ocean Robotics develops, produces, and sells professional service robots across industries such as construction, hospitality, agriculture, and healthcare. Its portfolio includes brands such as Beam Robots, UVD Robots, PTR Robots and a handful of other service robots. On account of the COVID-19 pandemic, the company has come up with a sterilising robot that can kill virus cells and sanitise hospital wards sans any chemicals. The UV-sanitising robots have eight bulbs that emit concentrated UV-C ultraviolet light that can destroy viruses, bacteria, and other harmful chemicals by damaging their RNA and DNA so that these cannot multiply.

The UV-sanitizing robots were launched in early 2019 as a result of a collaboration between Blue Ocean Robotics and Odense University Hospital. Due to the rapid spread of the coronavirus pandemic, the demand for these robots has been accelerated and the company can make one day in less than a day.

Founder/s: Zhao WanqiuFounded year: 2017Funding: NA

YouiBot is a high-tech robotics company in Shenzhen that focuses on the research, development, and manufacturing of robots. The company has already been developing robotic solutions for a range of industries. It has been providing partners with mobile robot ontology and integrated solutions. With a surge in demand due to COVID-19, YouiBot has added thermal camera and UV-C bulbs to its existing robot base. And, it has supplied these robots to offices, factories, an airport, and a hospital in Wuhan. During the day, it is used for checking body temperature and at night it kills viruses, touts the company.

Founder/s: NAFounded year: 2003Funding: NA

China-based Winsun is a 3D printing company that has deployed its rapid 3D printing capabilities in the construction industry to manufacture 15 coronavirus isolation wards in a single day. Originally, these concrete cabins were designed to be used as holiday homes but the production has been ramped up now due to meet the demand so that people can stay in isolation instead of being at the overcrowded hospitals in China during the pandemic.

Wondering what these small concrete homes have got? Well, there are eco-toilets and showers. These were printed via an extrusion process with a robotic arm that is mounted on rails to deposit layers of concrete to form the walls. Winsun uses recycled construction rubble to build these structures and tout that these are twice as strong as conventional concrete structures.

Founder/s: Josef PrusaFounded year: 2012Funding: NA

Prusa, a Czech startup is touted to be one of the largest 3D printing companies in the world with over 500 printers. At the time of the pandemic outbreak, the company has started the mass production of the face shields meant to be used by medics. It is making over 800 masks a day and has already donated 10,000 masks to the Czech ministry of health. Notably, the Prusa face shield is affordable as the materials used to manufacture a single unit cost less than $1.

Founder/s: Abhinav Lal, Shashank NDFounded year: 2008Funding: 228 million

As many people opt for the coronavirus screening as they do not want to be affected by the same. Due to the same, Practo, a digital healthcare platform has joined hands with Thyrocare, a diagnostic lab chain to conduct COVID-19 screenings. It is touted that the COVID-19 test screening on Practo is authorised by the government and ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research). The healthcare platform notes that the test will be conducted by certified phlebotomists who will collect the samples directly from the patients homes.

Main image picture credits: Simbe Robotics

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Top tech fighting corona: 3D valves, smart helmets, sanitizing robots and more - Silicon Canals