Periodic Reporting for period 1 - Yuman (Yuman, improving future care with autonomous mobile robots)
Période du rapport: 2023-07-01 au 2024-06-30
Yuman, a deep-tech Danish startup, is developing healthcare-centered mobile robots, called Buddy, designed to assist care personnel with transport tasks in hospitals and nursing homes. The company was founded by Sara Lopez and Andrei Chirtoaca, driven by the need to integrate robotic technology into healthcare systems to address the global shortage of nurses. Research shows that nurses spend approximately 37% of their time on routine transport tasks, contributing to stress and inefficiency in healthcare delivery.
Throughout the Women TechEU project, Yuman aims to alleviate the workload of nurses by automating routine transport tasks, thereby enabling them to focus more on patient care. By developing intelligent, healthcare-centered mobile robots, the project aims to:
More time for patient care: Reduce the time nurses spend on transport tasks, allowing them to dedicate more time to patient care.
Enhance Nurse Working Conditions: Decrease the physical and mental strain on nurses by reducing their walking distances and interruptions during shifts.
Support Healthcare Systems: Provide a scalable solution to the global nurse shortage, anticipated to reach 2.3 million in the EU by 2030.
Commercialize Healthcare Robots: Mature the technology from TRL 4 to TRL 7 through rigorous testing in Danish hospitals, proving its commercial feasibility and product-market fit.
The expected impact of the project includes:
Increased Quality of Care: By automating routine tasks, nurses can focus more on patient-centered activities, improving the quality of care and patient satisfaction.
Reduced Nurse Burnout: By addressing the root causes of nurse stress and inefficiency, such as long walking distances and frequent interruptions, the project aims to enhance nurse retention and job satisfaction.
Improved Patient Outcomes: Hospitals with lower patient-to-nurse ratios experience better patient outcomes, including reduced mortality and fewer medication errors. Buddy will contribute to achieving these outcomes by allowing nurses to spend more time on direct patient care.
Economic Benefits: The introduction of Yuman robots is expected to create economic benefits by optimizing hospital operations and reducing costs associated with nurse burnout.
Technological Advancement: The project will advance the state-of-the-art in human-robot interaction and AI, setting a new standard for robotic assistance in healthcare environments.
The development of Buddy involves extensive user-centered design and testing processes, incorporating feedback from nurses to ensure the robots meet their needs without disrupting workflows. The project also involves understanding the socio-cultural context of healthcare settings to facilitate seamless integration and acceptance of robotic technology. This interdisciplinary approach ensures that the robots are not only technologically advanced but also socially and ethically acceptable.
Throughout the Women TechEU project, Yuman aims to alleviate the workload of nurses by automating routine transport tasks, thereby enabling them to focus more on patient care. By developing intelligent, healthcare-centered mobile robots, the project aims to:
More time for patient care: Reduce the time nurses spend on transport tasks, allowing them to dedicate more time to patient care.
Enhance Nurse Working Conditions: Decrease the physical and mental strain on nurses by reducing their walking distances and interruptions during shifts.
Support Healthcare Systems: Provide a scalable solution to the global nurse shortage, anticipated to reach 2.3 million in the EU by 2030.
Commercialize Healthcare Robots: Mature the technology from TRL 4 to TRL 7 through rigorous testing in Danish hospitals, proving its commercial feasibility and product-market fit.
The expected impact of the project includes:
Increased Quality of Care: By automating routine tasks, nurses can focus more on patient-centered activities, improving the quality of care and patient satisfaction.
Reduced Nurse Burnout: By addressing the root causes of nurse stress and inefficiency, such as long walking distances and frequent interruptions, the project aims to enhance nurse retention and job satisfaction.
Improved Patient Outcomes: Hospitals with lower patient-to-nurse ratios experience better patient outcomes, including reduced mortality and fewer medication errors. Buddy will contribute to achieving these outcomes by allowing nurses to spend more time on direct patient care.
Economic Benefits: The introduction of Yuman robots is expected to create economic benefits by optimizing hospital operations and reducing costs associated with nurse burnout.
Technological Advancement: The project will advance the state-of-the-art in human-robot interaction and AI, setting a new standard for robotic assistance in healthcare environments.
The development of Buddy involves extensive user-centered design and testing processes, incorporating feedback from nurses to ensure the robots meet their needs without disrupting workflows. The project also involves understanding the socio-cultural context of healthcare settings to facilitate seamless integration and acceptance of robotic technology. This interdisciplinary approach ensures that the robots are not only technologically advanced but also socially and ethically acceptable.
Work Performed
1. Development of the Minimum Viable Product (MVP):
The Yuman team focused on developing the initial version of their healthcare-centered mobile robots. This involved designing both the hardware and software components necessary for the robots to function effectively in hospital environments.
The MVP was designed to automate the transport of medical equipment, addressing the specific needs of nurses in hospital wards.
2. Testing in Danish Hospitals:
The MVP robots were tested in two Danish hospitals to validate their functionality and effectiveness in real-world healthcare settings. These tests were crucial in maturing the technology from Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4 to TRL 7.
The tests provided valuable data on how the robots interact with personnel and patients, navigate hospital corridors, and perform transport tasks without causing disruptions.
3. User Interface and Workflow Integration:
Extensive research was conducted to understand nurses' workflows and ensure the robots seamlessly integrated into their routines. Observation studies and user feedback sessions helped refine the robot’s user interface.
The user interface was designed in collaboration with nurses to ensure it was intuitive and easy to use, minimizing the need for extensive training.
4. CE Marking and Regulatory Process:
The team initiated the CE marking and regulatory compliance process, which is expected to be completed by August 2024. This step is essential for commercializing the robots on a larger scale.
5. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning:
The AI models used in the robots were developed and refined to enhance their ability to navigate hospital environments autonomously. These models use past navigation data to optimize task scheduling and improve efficiency.
The AI system can recommend optimal routes and task orders, predict task execution times, and identify anomalies, ensuring the robots operate effectively and reliably.
6. Expansion of Customer Segments:
Following the successful tests, Yuman expanded its customer segments to include not only hospitals but also nursing homes. International collaborations have also been initiated.
7. Team Expansion and Recognition:
The funding allowed Yuman to expand its team. Yuman’s co-founders were recognized in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe list for Manufacturing & Industry, highlighting the project’s innovative impact on the future of healthcare.
8. Enhanced Product Stability:
Continuous design and software development efforts resulted in a stable and mature product ready for broader market introduction. The robots’ hardware and software components were fully integrated and tested, ensuring reliable performance in healthcare settings.
1. Development of the Minimum Viable Product (MVP):
The Yuman team focused on developing the initial version of their healthcare-centered mobile robots. This involved designing both the hardware and software components necessary for the robots to function effectively in hospital environments.
The MVP was designed to automate the transport of medical equipment, addressing the specific needs of nurses in hospital wards.
2. Testing in Danish Hospitals:
The MVP robots were tested in two Danish hospitals to validate their functionality and effectiveness in real-world healthcare settings. These tests were crucial in maturing the technology from Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4 to TRL 7.
The tests provided valuable data on how the robots interact with personnel and patients, navigate hospital corridors, and perform transport tasks without causing disruptions.
3. User Interface and Workflow Integration:
Extensive research was conducted to understand nurses' workflows and ensure the robots seamlessly integrated into their routines. Observation studies and user feedback sessions helped refine the robot’s user interface.
The user interface was designed in collaboration with nurses to ensure it was intuitive and easy to use, minimizing the need for extensive training.
4. CE Marking and Regulatory Process:
The team initiated the CE marking and regulatory compliance process, which is expected to be completed by August 2024. This step is essential for commercializing the robots on a larger scale.
5. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning:
The AI models used in the robots were developed and refined to enhance their ability to navigate hospital environments autonomously. These models use past navigation data to optimize task scheduling and improve efficiency.
The AI system can recommend optimal routes and task orders, predict task execution times, and identify anomalies, ensuring the robots operate effectively and reliably.
6. Expansion of Customer Segments:
Following the successful tests, Yuman expanded its customer segments to include not only hospitals but also nursing homes. International collaborations have also been initiated.
7. Team Expansion and Recognition:
The funding allowed Yuman to expand its team. Yuman’s co-founders were recognized in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe list for Manufacturing & Industry, highlighting the project’s innovative impact on the future of healthcare.
8. Enhanced Product Stability:
Continuous design and software development efforts resulted in a stable and mature product ready for broader market introduction. The robots’ hardware and software components were fully integrated and tested, ensuring reliable performance in healthcare settings.
The Yuman project has significantly impacted healthcare efficiency by reducing the time nurses spend on routine transport tasks. This improvement allows nurses to focus more on patient care and reduces interruptions. The robots' seamless integration into hospital workflows exemplifies advanced human-robot interaction, allowing the robots to navigate dynamic environments without disrupting healthcare professionals' activities.
Technologically, the project has made substantial advancements in healthcare robotics. The algorithms developed enable the robots to learn and adapt to constantly changing hospital conditions. This capability marks a significant leap beyond existing technologies, which often struggle with adaptability and seamless human-robot collaboration in complex environments.
Economically, the Yuman robots promise significant benefits for hospitals by alleviating nurse burnout. By automating routine tasks, the robots help lower operational costs and improve the allocation of nursing resources. The scalability of this solution means it can be deployed across various healthcare settings, from hospitals to nursing homes, bringing widespread economic benefits.
In summary, the Yuman project has achieved significant advancements beyond the state of the art in healthcare robotics, with impactful technological, economic, and recognition milestones. Continued focus on research, market access, regulatory compliance, and internationalization will be crucial for the project's sustained success and broader adoption.
Technologically, the project has made substantial advancements in healthcare robotics. The algorithms developed enable the robots to learn and adapt to constantly changing hospital conditions. This capability marks a significant leap beyond existing technologies, which often struggle with adaptability and seamless human-robot collaboration in complex environments.
Economically, the Yuman robots promise significant benefits for hospitals by alleviating nurse burnout. By automating routine tasks, the robots help lower operational costs and improve the allocation of nursing resources. The scalability of this solution means it can be deployed across various healthcare settings, from hospitals to nursing homes, bringing widespread economic benefits.
In summary, the Yuman project has achieved significant advancements beyond the state of the art in healthcare robotics, with impactful technological, economic, and recognition milestones. Continued focus on research, market access, regulatory compliance, and internationalization will be crucial for the project's sustained success and broader adoption.