A multipurpose hospital service robot unveiled on the opening day of Arab Health in Dubai is designed to reduce labour intensive duties in wards, allowing staff to improve patient care.
Hospitals are turning towards wider use of automation and service robots, as human workers focus their skills elsewhere.
From delivering meals to wards to maximise recovery times, to ensuring patients receive the right medication – robots are beginning to do more than assist surgeons during precision procedures.
Although a dystopian vision of an entire hospital run by robots may not become reality, technology is being fast-tracked into care settings around the world to make clinics more efficient to run.
At about $70,000, the Camello+ robot built by Singapore technology company OTSAW is breaking into the healthcare industry, by replacing the manpower of three full-time employees.
With its interchangeable modular attachments, the robot can deliver drugs, on-demand meals, laundry and surgical tools, as well as dispose of medical waste.
Similar robots are already in use across several sectors, such as logistics and hospitality, but health care presents a unique set of challenges.
Game changer
The Camello+ can run on a battery life of up to eight hours, with OTSAW founder and chief executive Ling Ting Ming aiming to sell 1,000 of the labour-saving robots to hospitals around the world in 2024.
“Health care is a very different landscape,” said Mr Ling. “First of all, the software must be proven in a huge hospital, how they use it in the operations, because delivering food in the hospital is mission critical.
“Imagine you have 800 beds, and 800 patients not getting their meals on time. It would be a major problem, so the robots must also integrate with the lifts and the doors in the hospitals.
“Camello+ is able to operate indoor, as well as outdoor, so if you have two hospital blocks and you have to go to outdoor, it can manage. That makes it a game-changer.”
Steps and staircases are a major blockade for the movement of Camello+. But as most hospitals have ramps, lifts and automatic doors – most of these features provide for suitable environments in which it can operate.
The system is designed to improve while in use by learning from the environment in which it works and gathering software data to make it more efficient.
So far, more than 50 hospitals have the Transcar robot designed by OTSAW that can transport heavy loads around a centre.
“The future is all about big data,” said Mr Ling. “We can integrate different kinds of robot on the same platform, using the same software – then we give the customer the data so they can plan efficiencies. This is how smart hospitals should function in the future.
“Most of the challenges hospitals face today [are centred on] labour shortages for mundane jobs a lot of people do not want to do.
“We are helping augment these operations, so the hospital can reassign the human to do something more on the patient care, the touch point.”
Autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) such as the Camello+ can simplify routine tasks and reduce the physical demands on the human workforce.
Cleaning and disinfection AMRs also allow hospitals to maintain hygiene standards, to reduce the spread of infection.
They can also help with the heavy lifting of beds, equipment and even patients to reduce physical pressures that care staff face.
Dr Azad Moopen, chairman and managing director of Aster DM Healthcare, said robots were beginning to take on a greater role across the care industry.
“Automation is something which is happening everywhere, but it has a huge role in health care,” he said. “From the very basics, such as the bar coding of medicines given to the patients or the bar coding of blood samples and all other materials that need to be precisely managed – automation is crucial to avoid a patient getting a wrong treatment or medicine.
“It is one area where there has been tremendous development.”
Aster operates hospitals across the Middle East and India, with robots expected to play a greater role in operations in the near future.
“There are many areas where robots can come in to work which don't require a human touch,” said Dr Moopen. “In health care, that is extremely important but, at the same time, there are many automatic things which can be done via AI.
“Pathology and X-rays are already monitored by AI to a great extent. Although we have not started using service robots yet, we are using bots in our customer service, to reduce delays and manpower.”
Improving technology
Improved motion control technology has resulted in surgical assistance robots used by doctors to perform complex procedures becoming more precise and faster.
It has even allowed some tasks for be completed autonomously, allowing surgeons to oversee procedures from a console.
At Arab Health, Italian company Asa Laser is showcasing its latest bone consolidation therapy, which repairs broken bones using magnetic fields.
The treatment is delivered autonomously from a hospital bed, and can help strengthen weakened bones in osteoarthritis patients.
“The user can set up a full scan on the body of the patient who just lies there for a 20-minute cycle of the therapy,” said Carlo Marchesini, a marketing manager at Asa Laser.
“It is an extremely low-frequency and low-intensity magnetic field, which is the most studied form of this kind of technology.
“It first requires some thought to define the right diagnosis and recovery path for the patient, then the automated tool takes over.”
School counsellors on mental well-being
Schools counsellors in Abu Dhabi have put a number of provisions in place to help support pupils returning to the classroom next week.
Many children will resume in-person lessons for the first time in 10 months and parents previously raised concerns about the long-term effects of distance learning.
Schools leaders and counsellors said extra support will be offered to anyone that needs it. Additionally, heads of years will be on hand to offer advice or coping mechanisms to ease any concerns.
“Anxiety this time round has really spiralled, more so than from the first lockdown at the beginning of the pandemic,” said Priya Mitchell, counsellor at The British School Al Khubairat in Abu Dhabi.
“Some have got used to being at home don’t want to go back, while others are desperate to get back.
“We have seen an increase in depressive symptoms, especially with older pupils, and self-harm is starting younger.
“It is worrying and has taught us how important it is that we prioritise mental well-being.”
Ms Mitchell said she was liaising more with heads of year so they can support and offer advice to pupils if the demand is there.
The school will also carry out mental well-being checks so they can pick up on any behavioural patterns and put interventions in place to help pupils.
At Raha International School, the well-being team has provided parents with assessment surveys to see how they can support students at home to transition back to school.
“They have created a Well-being Resource Bank that parents have access to on information on various domains of mental health for students and families,” a team member said.
“Our pastoral team have been working with students to help ease the transition and reduce anxiety that [pupils] may experience after some have been nearly a year off campus.
"Special secondary tutorial classes have also focused on preparing students for their return; going over new guidelines, expectations and daily schedules.”
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Surianah's top five jazz artists
Billie Holliday: for the burn and also the way she told stories.
Thelonius Monk: for his earnestness.
Duke Ellington: for his edge and spirituality.
Louis Armstrong: his legacy is undeniable. He is considered as one of the most revolutionary and influential musicians.
Terence Blanchard: very political - a lot of jazz musicians are making protest music right now.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,200m, Winner: ES Rubban, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ibrahim Aseel (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 (T) 1,200m, Winner: Al Mobher, Sczcepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m, Winner: Jabalini, Tadhg O’Shea, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
6.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m, Winner: AF Abahe, Tadgh O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: AF Makerah, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Law Of Peace, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Profile of Foodics
Founders: Ahmad AlZaini and Mosab AlOthmani
Based: Riyadh
Sector: Software
Employees: 150
Amount raised: $8m through seed and Series A - Series B raise ongoing
Funders: Raed Advanced Investment Co, Al-Riyadh Al Walid Investment Co, 500 Falcons, SWM Investment, AlShoaibah SPV, Faith Capital, Technology Investments Co, Savour Holding, Future Resources, Derayah Custody Co.
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
yallacompare profile
Date of launch: 2014
Founder: Jon Richards, founder and chief executive; Samer Chebab, co-founder and chief operating officer, and Jonathan Rawlings, co-founder and chief financial officer
Based: Media City, Dubai
Sector: Financial services
Size: 120 employees
Investors: 2014: $500,000 in a seed round led by Mulverhill Associates; 2015: $3m in Series A funding led by STC Ventures (managed by Iris Capital), Wamda and Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority; 2019: $8m in Series B funding with the same investors as Series A along with Precinct Partners, Saned and Argo Ventures (the VC arm of multinational insurer Argo Group)
Test series fixtures
(All matches start at 2pm UAE)
1st Test Lord's, London from Thursday to Monday
2nd Test Nottingham from July 14-18
3rd Test The Oval, London from July 27-31
4th Test Manchester from August 4-8
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Samaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
