PGIMER develops low cost automated robotic trolley for COVID-19 patients
May 23, 2020
Chandigarh [India], May 23 : In order to minimise healthcare workers' contact with infected patients and contaminated surroundings, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) has developed a state-of-the art low-cost automated robotic trolley for COVID patients.
Acronymed as DOOT (Delivery, Observance and an Orchestrated Telecommunicator) this robotic device was designed and developed by two resident doctors from the Department of Hospital Administration, Dr. Pranay Mahajan and Dr. Shailesh Gahukar.
Prof. Jagat Ram, Director PGIMER lauded Dr. Pranay Mahajan and Dr. Shailesh Gahukar for their commendable initiative and stated: "The health and safety of our frontline corona warriors is always our utmost concern as they are putting their own lives at risk to save the lives of others. This robotic device is PGIMER's step forward in the direction of self reliance and safety. By delivering medicines and food among patients in the isolation wards wherein the chances of getting infected with the virus are maximum for the healthcare workers, this automated trolley will help in reducing their interaction with COVID-19 patients to a great extent."
Apprising the house about their indigenous and low-cost solution, Dr. Pranay Mahajan, Department of Hospital Administration said, "We decided to devise a low-cost solution and started working on it. Initially while designing, we considered that a Motorized Trolley should reach the bed of patient and should deliver food, water, medicine etc. reducing the risks involved in contact between healthcare workers and patients. Later, apart from designing just a 'low-cost' and remotely operable' trolley, we attached app-based cloud camera to the robotic trolley that empowered it with additional features like motion sensing, night vision, thermal sensing embedded with an online signaling system which would help in remote observation of contaminated areas."
"It has capability of 360° High Definition view of surroundings with cloud storage of videos captured. The battery backup is customisable which can be enhanced up to four days," added Dr Mahajan.
