Skip to main content

Investigating the First Robotic Nurses: Humanoid Robot Nightingale and Partners for COVID-19 Preventive Design

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
New Trends in Medical and Service Robotics (MESROB 2021)

Part of the book series: Mechanisms and Machine Science ((Mechan. Machine Science,volume 106))

Included in the following conference series:

  • 295 Accesses

Abstract

Responding to these global COVID-19 changes for daily healthcare services clinic, while maintaining safe social distancing, the paper reports the human-centred iterative design with real-fields feasibility inquiries to investigate the first robotic nurse and her partners in Wales. The research adapted the ancient Eastern human nature of seven emotions and six biological wills for the selection criteria and novel design principles for the care robots. We report the preliminary work for integrating, customising, implementing and evaluating three novel robotic nurses: Robot Nightingale, Robot Almeida and Robot Eureka in a care home and a hospital. Bionic Scenarios Definition with 5 merging principles are extracted from the Feasibility Inquiries 1–3. Limitations are discussed from the stakeholders’ experiences. Our research has no intension to replace human nurses, but a thoughtful feasibility and interdisciplinary study for bionic robotic nurses for conventional engineers’ and practitioners’ references.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 219.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 279.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 279.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. WHO: World experts and funders set priorities for COVID-19 research, World Health Organization (2020). https://bit.ly/39vRpjj

  2. BBCa: Coronavirus: NHS staff ‘at risk’ over lack of protective gear (2020). https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51950276

  3. BBCb: Covid: ‘Significant’ number caught virus in Bedfordshire hospitals (2020). https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-55948920

  4. Kimmig, R., Verheijen, R., Rudnicki, M. and SERGS Council: Robot assisted surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially for gynecological cancer: a statement of the Society of European Robotic Gynaecological Surgery (SERGS) J. Gynecol. Oncol. 31(3), e59 (2020). https://doi.org/10.3802/jgo.2020.31.e59

  5. Shen, Y., et al.: Robots under COVID-19 pandemic: a comprehensive survey. IEEE Access 9, 1590–1615 (2020)

    Google Scholar 

  6. Wang, S., Wang, K., Tang, R., Qiao, J., Liu, H., Hou, Z.-G.: Design of a low-cost miniature robot to assist the COVID-19 nasopharyngeal swab sampling. In: IEEE Transactions on Medical Robotics and Bionics. https://doi.org/10.1109/TMRB.2020.3036461

  7. Cuthbertson, A.: Coronavirus: ‘Little Peanut’ Robot Delivers Food to People Inquarantine in China. Independent New (2020). https://bit.ly/39sxBgO

  8. Cardona, M., Cortez, F., Palacios, A., Cerros, K.: Mobile robots application against Covid-19 pandemic. In: 2020 IEEE ANDESCON, Quito, Ecuador, pp. 1–5 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1109/ANDESCON50619.2020.9272072

  9. Cruzr: UBTECH Robotics (2021). https://www.ubtrobot.com/products/cruzr?ls=en

  10. Pepper: Softbank (2021). https://www.softbankrobotics.com/emea/en/industries/healthcare

  11. Yang, G.: Keep healthcare workers safe: application of teleoperated robot in isolation ward for COVID-19 prevention and control. Chin. J. Mech. Eng. 33(1), 1–4 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s10033-020-00464-0

  12. Rane, K.P.: Design and development of low cost humanoid robot with thermal temperature scanner for COVID-19 virus preliminary identification. Int. J. Adv. Trends Comput. Sci. Eng. 9(3) (2020). https://doi.org/10.30534/ijatcse/2020/153932020

  13. Kaiser, M.S., Al Mamun, S., Mahmud, M., Tania, M.H.: Healthcare robots to combat COVID-19. In: Santosh, K., Joshi, A. (eds.) COVID-19: Prediction, Decision-Making, and its Impacts. LNDECT, vol. 60, pp. 83–97. Springer, Singapore (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-9682-7_10

  14. EUREKA: EUREKA Robotics Centre, one of the UK 11th Specialist Centre, nested at Cardiff School of Technologies, Wales (2021). www.cardiffmet.ac.uk/eureka

  15. Robots: IEEE’s Guides to the World of Robotics (2021). https://robots.ieee.org/robots/

  16. Buchanan, R.: Human dignity and human rights: thoughts on the principles of human-centered design. MIT Press J. 17(3), 35–39 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1162/074793601750357178

  17. Tan, N., Sun, Z., Elara, M.R., Nishann, B., et al.: A system-of-systems bio-inspired design process: conceptual design and physical prototype of a reconfigurable robot capable of multi-modal locomotion. J. Front. Neurorobot. 13, 78 (2019)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Alberti, B.F.: Robots to be introduced in UK care homes to allay loneliness – that’s inhuman. The Conversation (2020). https://bit.ly/39pQErJ

  19. Hourbon, G.: Building ventures to improve the quality of later life, Zinc (2021). https://bit.ly/3tx2okT

  20. Nylan, M.: The Five “Confucian” Classics (Liji), Yale University Press (2001)

    Google Scholar 

  21. Legge, J.: Sacred Books of the East, vol. 27 and 28. Oxford University Press, Oxford (1885)

    Google Scholar 

  22. Yang, J., Chew, E., Liu, P.: Service humanoid robotics: review and design of a novel bionic-companionship framework. In: Chew, E., et al. (eds.) RiTA 2020. LNME, pp. 185–194. Springer, Singapore (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-4803-8_20

  23. Moxi: Moxi (2021). Diligent Robotics Inc. https://diligentrobots.com/moxi

  24. Cira-03 Robot: Egyptian inventor trials robot that can test for COVID-19, Swissinfo, Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (2021). https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/reuters/egyptian-inventor-trials-robot-that-can-test-for-covid-19/46185198

  25. Engelking, C.: Meet YuMi: A Robot Nurse Built to Make the Rounds, Discover Magazine (2019). https://bit.ly/39tEIW0

  26. Robot Nightingale: EUREKA Robotics Lab, Cardiff School of Technologies (2020). https://twitter.com/cardiffmet/status/1253306449742180353?s=20. https://twitter.com/EsyinChew/status/1314263909369630722?s=20. https://twitter.com/EsyinChew/status/1207378763954237440?s=20

  27. Robot Almeida and Robot Eureka: EUREKA Robotics Lab, Cardiff School of Technologies (2020). https://twitter.com/eurekarobot/status/1275132365778694145?s=20. https://twitter.com/EsyinChew/status/1275181734619987968?s=20. https://twitter.com/eurekarobot/status/1236416154266144769?s=20

  28. Combs, S.: History and Culture: Coronavirus Coverage - June Almeida, National Geography (2020). https://on.natgeo.com/39tyUMj

  29. EUREKA Twitter: Snippet of experience of Robotic nurses in a care sector (2021). https://twitter.com/eurekarobot/status/1352657275358425088?s=20. https://twitter.com/eurekarobot/status/1275132365778694145?s=20

Download references

Acknowledgement

This work is funded by the 2020 Cardiff Met’s Get Started Grant and in the process of applying for the Welsh Government SMART Expertise 2021–2022. Special appreciation to our strategic robotics partners in the UK and China to provide hardware provision, and granted EUREKA Robotics Lab as the sole distributorship in the UK. Thanks to all the research participants from healthcare sectors who provided their honest experiences and constructive perceptions, contributing in the research and adventurous journey during COVID-19.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Esyin Chew .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Chew, E., Lee, P.L., Yang, J., Hu, S. (2022). Investigating the First Robotic Nurses: Humanoid Robot Nightingale and Partners for COVID-19 Preventive Design. In: Rauter, G., Carbone, G., Cattin, P.C., Zam, A., Pisla, D., Riener, R. (eds) New Trends in Medical and Service Robotics. MESROB 2021. Mechanisms and Machine Science, vol 106. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-76147-9_15

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics