Humanoid robots: The future of healthcare?
12 May 2023
Technological innovations have always driven humans forward. However, the current rate of acceleration indicates that we are on the cusp of some truly remarkable leaps forward across all industries.
The key driver of technological advancement remains the need for efficiency and reducing costs, particularly during times of uncertainty. One area in which we are seeing this play out is in the field of robotics. Companies such as 1X are developing robots with practical, real-world applications that can augment human capabilities, with the potential to have a profound effect on our day-to-day lives.
Rishi Sunak recently spoke of the need for the UK to embrace robot workers radically to innovate the NHS, to deal with a significant shortage of workers and spiralling costs. 1X has trialled its robot, EVE, as an assistant to healthcare professionals in Norway, where it has performed a range of logistical tasks. This trial gave a glimpse into the possibilities of implementing humanoid robots into a healthcare setting, by providing critical support to patients and freeing up healthcare workers to focus on the more highly skilled aspects of patient care.
Making humanoids viable
Up to this point, the vast majority of robotic machines have been deployed in places like factories, where they are used to perform repetitive and precise tasks – think of a car production line or packaging plant.
However, humanoid robots differentiate themselves by their ability to interact with the world in ways akin to humans. Part of this is down to their appearance. The world around us is designed with humans in mind. Buildings, rooms, doors, furniture, and every other aspect of our day to day are created to complement our body types, sizes and capabilities. This is why humanoids are, as the name would suggest, based on the outward appearance of a human. This allows them to blend in and work effectively within our manufactured world.
Looks are one thing, however, there are other aspects that are of paramount importance in order to embed these robots into society. Clearly, they have to be capable enough to warrant their use, and if they are to be used widely, then affordability is another consideration.
However, whilst these are two critical components of their development, first and foremost comes the issue of safety. As these robots are built to be robust enough to last and endure, they have the potential to cause a lot of damage. Consequently, a significant development effort must be made to ensure that, no matter the situation with which they are confronted in the presence of real humans, they will not cause harm.
To ensure that the humanoids are capable, affordable and, of course, safe, countless, complicated calculations must be performed, and this is where simulation plays an indispensable role.
Using modelling and simulation to create motors that mimic biological structures
One of the key design challenges comes down to how these robots interact with the world and objects around them – think of picking up a cup of coffee: you ‘collide’ with the cup, but in a way that doesn’t do damage to yourself or the cup. If a humanoid needs to be able to pick up a heavy package, lift and support a person with reduced mobility, or even handle fragile medical equipment connected to a patient, then it needs to have sophisticated motors that control it.
For example, during the development of EVE, modelling and simulation were used to develop piloting fibres that mimic biological systems, not unlike human muscles. These synthetic fibres, connected to actuators, are powered by incredibly lightweight and low-speed motors delivering very high torque. It is the combined characteristics of these motors that allow for the high-power and low-energy interactions that are required by humanoids.
Simulation is a process by which engineers can represent, analyse and predict the impact of complex multiphysics phenomena, through numerous, precise calculations performed quickly and iteratively. Due to the number of scenarios to evaluate, and the number of motors built into a single humanoid, it is the only viable alternative to costly prototyping. This digital approach helps to confine the cost and development time required to explore all different design alternatives, whilst ensuring safety and performance. Consequently, simulation has become a critical aspect of innovation.
How soon until robots walk among us?
Healthcare and its future have come very much to the forefront of our minds in recent times, not only in a post-pandemic context, but also as we look at ageing populations throughout much of the developed world. Although humanoid robots have the potential to revolutionise many industries, healthcare is one in which they are poised to make a significant impact, providing crucial support to overstretched and overworked healthcare workers.
However, as with many of the technological innovations that are being touted as the future, although the concept is there, a huge effort will have to be made to bring them into the mainstream. This is no easy task, and without simulation and modelling’s game-changing impact on development time and cost, it will be a far more difficult one.
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