NHS England to implement more robotics into hospitals

In aid to improve a patient’s hospital and health experience, the North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) has partnered with the British Robotics Laboratory of the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) to develop robotic technology for Southmead Hospital in Bristol. The collaboration will evaluate how robots, machine learning and AI could be employed to help patients.

CHIRON is one of the robotic systems, designed to support mature adults with impairment and mobility restrictions linked to their age. Eventually, the robot may help mobility-restricted patients with walking and could potentially deliver a drink or tray of food to a patient when required.

Research led in Assistive Robotics and Intelligent Health Technologies at Bristol Robotics Labatorary, Professor Praminda Caleb-Solly, stated: “Hospitals are likely to be the first adopters of this type of technology, so it will be beneficial to test our prototype in a hospital setting and work with hospital staff in shaping it. Through this partnership, we can have a more clinically informed focus to our research and make it more relevant to the specific needs of the patients and NHS staff.”

North Bristol NHS Trust Clinical Director for Anaesthesia, Critical Care, Surgery and Renal, Tim Whittlestone, stated: “We have an ageing population requiring ever more complex treatment. Robots can help us do some of the more mundane, repeatable tasks and free up staff to do what they do best, listening, thinking and caring.”