Upstate Medical University: New Kid On The Block At Upstate: The Transport Robot

Syracuse NY

15 June, 2022

2:19 PM

Description

Press release from Upstate Medical University: June 10, 2022 Soon a small fleet of robots will ferry everything from medicine to meals around Upstate University Hospital. The hospital has invested in a fleet of 14 TUG robots manufactured by Aethon, whose products specialize in material delivery in hospitals, manufacturing and hotels. A TUG is an autonomous mobile hauling robot designed specifically for hospitals. More than a year ago, Upstate determined that given the state of the technology and the challenges that Covid presented to its supply chain, along with staff shortages on the horizon, that it would invest in robotic transport technology. Robots have long been used at Upstate to perform minimally invasive surgeries, including brain surgery, and now will serve another role by helping alleviate staff shortages brought on by Covid. The use of the TUGS will free up critical time for staff to focus on patient care. Hospitals across the country are turning to robots to help with staff and nursing shortages and the medical robot market is projected to grow into a $43 billion industry in the next 5 years. Currently, 37 VA Hospitals use the same TUGS made by Aethon, as does Stanford Hospital and University of California San Francisco Medical Center. On average, TUGS are traveling 370 miles a week around hospitals, delivering thousands of pharmacy orders, linens and meals, among other things. Beginning with the transport of critical drugs from the pharmacy within the hospital to the cancer center, Upstate plans to use the new fleet of transport robots to also transport medical supplies, drugs, linen, meals, and, potentially, even clinical equipment. Steve Roberts, director of autonomous machines at Upstate, says "the possibilities are endless and only bound by what can be safely transported. Even now, we are thinking about how best to integrate these robots with drones. As our nationally recognized drone program continues to evolve, this handoff will become essential to supporting the transport needs of our remote sites." Though the TUG robot, which stands about four feet high and two feet wide, looks like nothing more than a giant storage cart, it's the technology behind it that makes it impressive. This press release was produced by Upstate Medical University. The views expressed here are the author's own.