Fraunhofer and Pi4_robotics adapt the Workerbot9 robot to help nurses at Berlin's Charité

Fraunhofer IPA, the Berlin robot maker Pi4_robotics and the Charité are developing a robot to take tasks off nursing staff at the Berlin hospital, the Fraunhofer institute announced, heise online reports. The joint project is called Muroc.

It is based on Pi4_robotics' Workerbot9, a 1.60-metre mobile service robot that carries objects such as food, drinks or luggage on a loading platform and has a large display, a small oval display showing a face, several cameras for spotting obstacles, microphones and a loudspeaker. In the project it gets a gripper arm, more sensors and new software for recognising and handling objects and planning tasks.

Nurses from intensive care and general wards, asked in a workshop, named supplies and contact with patients as the areas where a robot would help most. The robot is to check stocks of items such as gloves and dressings in patient rooms, refill them and bring nurses what they need, using its arm to open doors, cupboards and drawers.

Denny Chakkalakal, head of operations at Charité Healthcare Services, said a robot can only really relieve nurses if it fits sensibly into daily life on the ward.