Robotic Medical Assistant Vehicle for Contactless Patient Intake
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Public health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic overwhelm healthcare systems due to resource shortages and limited personnel, with healthcare workers risking exposure to viruses by performing simple, time-consuming tasks that could be automated, leading to increased human interaction and reduced efficiency in patient reception, transportation, and initial assessment.
Innovation Solution
A robotic medical assistant vehicle and interface (R-MAVI) that combines robotics with medical capabilities to automate patient reception, transportation, and initial assessment, equipped with drive motors, sensors, a vitals measurement system, and a sanitizing tunnel for reducing human interaction and enhancing safety and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If human personnel perform patient reception, transportation, and assessment tasks, then patient care quality is maintained, but healthcare workers face increased virus exposure risk and operational efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic medical assistant vehicle serves as an intermediary between patients and healthcare workers, performing tasks such as patient reception, transportation, and initial assessment without direct human involvement. The robot is equipped with sensors, a tablet interface, and medical equipment to interact with patients safely, thereby maintaining patient care quality while eliminating virus exposure risk for healthcare workers during these routine tasks
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of human personnel performing manual tasks with an automated robotic system. The robot utilizes drive motors for mobility, ultrasonic sensors for navigation, and automated vital sign monitoring equipment to substitute human actions in patient reception, transportation, and preliminary assessment, thereby reducing human interaction and exposure risk while maintaining operational reliability
2Productivity
If more healthcare personnel are deployed to handle increased patient volume, then patient reception and assessment efficiency improves, but resource availability decreases and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic medical assistant is equipped with autonomous capabilities including automated navigation using ultrasonic sensors and line sensors, self-directed patient intake procedures through the tablet interface, and automated vital sign monitoring. The robot can independently perform patient reception, transportation along marked pathways, and preliminary assessment without requiring healthcare worker intervention, thereby maintaining high productivity while preserving limited healthcare personnel for critical tasks
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces human personnel with an automated robotic system that uses drive motors for mobility, sensor arrays for navigation and obstacle detection, and automated medical equipment for patient assessment. This substitution enables continuous operation without breaks or rotation, maintaining high patient reception efficiency while conserving healthcare personnel resources
3Ease of operation
If healthcare workers perform simple automated tasks, then task completion is achieved, but time consumption increases and operational efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic medical assistant replaces human workers with an automated system that uses pre-programmed navigation algorithms, ultrasonic sensors for obstacle detection, and automated vital sign monitoring equipment. The robot can continuously perform patient intake, transportation, and assessment tasks without fatigue or delays, significantly reducing time consumption compared to manual human operations while maintaining ease of task completion
4Reliability
If human interaction is increased to maintain patient care quality, then patient assessment accuracy is maintained, but virus containment effectiveness decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic medical assistant serves as a safe intermediary that can physically interact with patients without transmitting viruses to healthcare workers. The robot is equipped with a tablet interface for patient communication, automated vital sign monitoring equipment, and navigation systems that enable it to perform comprehensive patient assessments independently, maintaining assessment accuracy while eliminating the virus transmission risk associated with human-to-human interaction
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces human healthcare workers with an automated robotic system that uses sensors, imaging equipment, and diagnostic tools to perform patient assessments. The robot can measure vital signs, capture patient information through the tablet interface, and transmit data to healthcare workers remotely, thereby maintaining assessment accuracy while containing virus transmission by eliminating direct human contact
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The R-MAVI reduces human exposure to viruses, optimizes resource utilization, and improves patient flow by automating tasks such as patient intake, transportation, and preliminary screening, thereby protecting healthcare workers and enhancing operational efficiency during pandemics and normal conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a line sensor configured to detect a line pathway to follow while driving between locations
Implementation Method 2
a pair of side rail arms, a plurality of ultrasonic sensors
Implementation Method 3
a weight scale under the seat which detects the patient's weight when seated
Implementation Method 4
an EKG sensor that measures electrical activity of the heart of a patient
Implementation Method 5
an internal temperature sensor that measures internal body temperature of the patient
Data Source
AI summary
A robotic medical assistant vehicle and interface (R-MAVI) is disclosed. The robotic medical assistant vehicle and interface helps contain viruses by reducing human interaction. The robotic medical assistant vehicle and interface combines robotics with medicine to achieve the safest and most efficient reception, transportation and initial assessment of a patient.