An Advanced Medical Robotic System Augmenting Healthcare Capabilities

Hstar proposes an advanced mobile robotic nurse assistant (RoNA) system for augmenting nurses’ health care capabilities in a hospital environment with physical assistance. The RoNA system must a) navigate intelligently in hospital environments with a mobile holonomic drive, b) support an intuitive interface guided by human-robot interaction and work safely and robustly, c) perform well in direct control by the nurse and via telepresence operation, and d) provide dexterous manipulation and sufficient strength to lift/ move patients and heavy loads (up to 300lbs). No robotic system currently exists that would meet all of these needs. Hstar proposes an enhanced Series Elastic Actuator based humanoid body that is capable of advanced dexterous manipulation and patient lifting, haptic feedback and natural human-robot contact. We will add several innovative technologies to meet technical requirements of RoNA system including an intelligent navigation and stable zero-moment-point (ZMP) control. Hstar enhance Segway’s four-wheel mobile robotic platform RMP400 with holonomic drive using omnidirectional wheel technology. Our telepresence operation and direct human robot interaction control will provide safe and robust operation in hospital environments. In addition to performing physical activities (lifting, moving patients and heavy load), the RoNA system is also capable of nurse transportation and material delivery.