Robot spotted in the corridors of AZ Voorkempen hospital

In June, staff at AZ Voorkempen hospital received assistance from a robot for secure medication transport. For a week, the robot from Ambyon, a young company from Eindhoven, transported medication from the hospital pharmacy to three departments. LiCalab, care living lab, supervised the test and interviewed staff about their experience and use of the robot.  

Ambyon is a young, innovative tech company from Eindhoven that develops logistics robots. Their autonomous robots safely transport medication, lab samples and materials in nursing homes and hospitals. Ambyon combines advanced robotics and AI to relieve nurses and improve the quality of care.

For this test, the robot was used to handle logistics between the hospital pharmacy and three departments. Currently, a logistics employee transports the medication. However, when this employee is not present (at night and during the weekend), a medication robot can be very useful. There is also an advantage for urgent medication, as patients are helped more quickly and nurses do not have to perform this task. In addition to medication, the robot can also be used for other applications, such as transporting blood samples, food or wound care items. For the test, the hospital pharmacist places the medication in the robot, which then moves to the department where an employee removes the medication from the robot. The robot is still under development but operated largely autonomously during the test period. Through self-directed movement within the hospital, the robot learns to better understand the infrastructure as an assistant that transports medication independently. Ambyon's goal is to give nurses more time for patient-related care at a time when the number of nurses is declining and the demand for care is increasing.

The employees who tested the robot were pleasantly surprised. The controls proved to be simple and intuitive. The robot was perceived as safe and reliable.

Testing the robot in a real hospital environment revealed a number of points for attention. For example, how the robot can make itself sufficiently noticeable so that it is not ignored when it arrives in the ward. Employees made suggestions for light and sound signals or a notification on the telephone. They also suggested a larger loading space so that products with a larger volume can fit in the robot.  

These concrete suggestions from people with practical experience will enable Ambyon to further develop the robot. The technical functioning of the robot is important, but it must also fit into the work process of a hospital.  

The test shows that such smart technology has potential and can be an efficient support for staff. Safe and effective medication transport contributes to better patient care and more workable working conditions.

The test is part of the Interreg Flanders-Netherlands CrossCare 2.0 project.