Asynchronous Robotic Delivery System for Hospital Logistics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current robotic delivery systems in hospitals and other environments interrupt staff, diverting attention from patient care and leading to inefficiencies and errors due to the need for synchronous interaction with robots for loading and unloading items.
Innovation Solution
An asynchronous item delivery system utilizing a depot and mobile robot that allows staff to deposit and retrieve items at convenient times, with autonomous swapping and battery management, enabling asynchronous pickup and drop-off of packages without direct human interaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If synchronous robotic delivery systems are used, then items can be delivered from one location to another, but staff are interrupted and diverted from patient care activities
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by having staff deposit items into the robotic system in advance, allowing the robot to autonomously retrieve and deliver items without requiring staff presence at delivery time. This decouples the delivery process from staff activities, enabling staff to focus on patient care while the robot handles item delivery autonomously.
2Productivity
If synchronous interaction with robots is required for loading and unloading, then items can be transferred, but errors occur due to staff distraction and interruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system performs self-service by autonomously retrieving items from storage locations and delivering them to destinations without requiring staff intervention. The robot independently navigates, picks up items, and delivers them, eliminating human error associated with distracted staff and ensuring reliable item transfer.
3Productivity
If multiple robots are deployed to operate continuously, then delivery capacity increases, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system achieves continuous operation through a single robot that autonomously performs complete delivery cycles without requiring staff intervention for loading or unloading. The robot can continuously retrieve items from storage, deliver them to destinations, and return for more items, maintaining uninterrupted delivery service without needing multiple robots.
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic system is designed with universal capabilities to perform multiple functions: autonomous navigation, item retrieval from various storage locations, item delivery to different destinations, and autonomous charging. This multi-functionality allows a single robot to replace multiple specialized robots, reducing system complexity while maintaining delivery capacity.
4Duration of action of stationary object
If robots require frequent charging, then operational continuity is maintained, but robot availability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary charging actions by automatically charging the robot during off-peak hours or when delivery demand is low. The robot proactively returns to charging stations to recharge batteries before depletion, ensuring continuous operational availability without interrupting delivery services during high-demand periods.
Data Source
AI summary
Asynchronous item delivery utilizes a depot and a mobile robot. A method includes (1) receiving a specification by a user of a destination depot and an item, (2) selecting, based on item delivery data and by a depot control system, a drawer from a rack module in a depot that houses drawers, (3) receiving the item from the user via the depot user interface, (4) communicating the item to the drawer within the rack module that houses drawers, communicating, from the depot and to a mobile robot, a message to pick up the item, (5) swapping a first battery on the mobile robot with a second batter charged by the depot, (6) transferring the item from the drawer in the depot to the mobile robot using a depot drawer-swapping module and a mobile robot drawer-swapping module and (7) delivering, by the mobile robot, the item to the destination depot.