Robot for isolation situations due to infectious or radiological risks

The effectiveness of a teleoperated omnidirectional terrestrial mobile manipulator robot for use in isolation situations due to infectious or radiological risks has been tested. The first test consisted of a mobility test, robot navigation in corridors and rooms, door opening, data acquisition for 3D reconstruction of the environment and reaching with the manipulator arm.

This robot would be responsible for transporting food and medication to patients who are in isolation because they suffer from infectious pathologies or are admitted to the Special Hospitalization Unit, where people who require metabolic therapy or gynecological brachytherapy are treated, avoiding unnecessary exposure of healthcare personnel to possible infectious or radiological risks.

The work was carried out by research staff from the Jaime I University (Universitat Jaume I, UJI) in Castellón de la Plana and the Consortium of the Provincial Hospital of Castellón, in Spain.

The robotic unit has been developed in the context of the European H2020 El-Peacetolero project by the IRSLab team of the Center for Research in Robotics and Underwater Technologies (CIRTESU) of the UJI for the inspection of plastic pipes in scenarios with radioactive risks, in which human intervention is not viable, although the system was also designed for application in biological risk environments, such as a hospital.

The first steps to adapt the equipment to the hospital environment and needs have been taken within the framework of the doctoral thesis of Amparo Tirado Bou, from the Doctoral Program in Computer Science, supervised by Raúl Marín from the Department of Computer Engineering and Science, with the support of professors Pedro J. Sanz and Juan J. Echagüe from CIRTESU, Eladio Collado, professor from the Department of Nursing and dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, the research staff of the different teams and the professionals from the Provincial Hospital, who have contributed ideas and potential applications to improve safety and well-being in medical care.

The robot in action. (Photo: Jaume I University)

In the case of metabolic therapy, the patient receives radioactive drugs orally or intravenously. This treatment requires admission to a room specially adapted to the radiation protection standards established by the Nuclear Safety Council.

The Consortium has two rooms exclusively for the application of these treatments. The patient remains in the rooms in isolation without being able to leave or receive visitors until the radiation levels decrease to legal limits, which usually occurs after two or three days.

During this time, the patient receives permanent remote care from the center’s medical and nursing staff, who have previously taken a course as supervisors or operators in radioactive facilities.

Radiological monitoring of workers exposed to ionising radiation is carried out using passive detection systems, called dosimeters, which are read by entities or institutions expressly authorised and controlled by the Nuclear Safety Council.

Gynecological brachytherapy, which is performed in a separate special room, plays a decisive role in the treatment of cancer because it allows a high dose of radiation to be administered to a very well-defined tumor volume with minimal damage to the surrounding healthy tissues.

The patient receiving this treatment is transferred to the room in the Special Hospitalization Unit, where she must remain isolated, without staff or companions, during the minutes of irradiation, approximately 10 minutes every hour for a period that can range from one to four days.

The teleoperated omnidirectional terrestrial mobile manipulator robot integrates a smart sensor equipped with artificial intelligence, uses 2D and 3D LIDAR systems mounted on the mobile head and has a manipulator arm to provide future assistance to the patient. (Source: Universitat Jaume I)