In February, COVID-19 hospital wards in China staffed by robots had created headlines.
The robots were used to supply food and medicines to COVID-19 patients, since humans could approach them only by donning personal protective equipment.
Now, the district COVID centre at Ancharakkandi, Kannur, also is making news by deploying robots to fight the Novel Coronavirus.
The robot deployed assists health workers in caring for COVID-19 patients, taking food and medicines to them and aiding interaction between the patients and the staff. Christened ‘Nightingale-19’, the robot has been designed by the students of Vimal Jyoti Engineering College, Chemberi. Health Minister K. K. Shylaja launched the robot via video-conference from Thiruvananthapuram.
Nightingale-19 can carry food and water weighing 25 kg for six persons at a time.
It can be remotely controlled over a distance of one km.
Video system
An interesting feature of this robot is that patients can interact with the hospital staff via an inbuilt video system. After every assignment, the robot is disinfected.
Dr. Narayana Naik, District Medical Officer, Kannur and other senior officials attended the launch event from the District COVID Centre, Ancharakkandi.
