Spott, Boston Dynamics’ robot dog, is being used to help COVID-19 patients.
The company’s robotic canines are aiding healthcare providers remotely triage patients at Boston’s Brigham and Woman’s Hospital.
Furthermore, Boston Dynamics is open-sourcing its hardware and software designs used to get these robots into the field. By doing this, Boston Dynamics is hoping developers and roboticists will make their own robots to help reduce risks to medical staff.
These Spot robots have iPads and a two-way radio. Healthcare workers can guide robots into tents where suspected COVID-19 patients are lining up an initial assessment. With two-way radios and iPads, doctors and nurses can speak to these patients from a safe distance and reduce exposure to the virus.
Boston Dynamics is investigating ways to equip the robots with the ability to measure temperature, respiratory, pulse rate and oxygen saturation. Additionally, the company is looking at ways for the robot to decontaminate equipment by attaching UV-C light or other forms of tech to its back to kill the virus and disinfect surfaces.
Boston Dynamics has already been in contact with the Canadian field robotics firm Clearpath Robots to help spread the technology. Ryan Gariepy, CTO of Clearpath Robots, is also currently working to assist robotic developers and researchers around the world in order to support healthcare workers.
In March, robots assisted healthcare workers at a field hospital in Wuhan, China.
Image Credit: Boston Dynamics
Source: Boston Dynamics
