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  • Author Author: Eavesdropper
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Human carrying bot gets an upgrade

Eavesdropper
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Japanese company Riken has partnered up with Tokai Rubber in the creation of the RIBA II nursing assistant robot. At the joint laboratory RTC, RIKEN-TRI Collaboration Center for Human-Interactive Robot Research, they have taken the RIBA Robot, from 2008, and upgraded the lifting abilities (by  41 lbs) and control interface to the point where it will be a tool for medical use.
 
I know a few hospital volunteers that say they have to lift elderly, sick, and disabled people in and out of beds and chairs routinely throughout the day. Depending on the condition of the patient, they say it can be an extremely difficult and cumbersome task to handle. This is where the RIBA II come in to play.
 
The 507 lbs (230 kg) robot can handle patients of up to 176 lbs (80 kg). Each are in covered in soft rubber, and has 7 degrees of freedom. The head has 3, waist has 2, and the omni-directional base has 3 more degrees of freedom. A touchscreen on the RIBA II bot's back will allow nurses to direct the bot to locations. Onboard laser range finders, proximity sensors, bumper sensors, and voice commands will help the RIBA II avoid obstacles and prevent accidents.
 

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Direct control of the RIBA II is the most innovative addition to the platform. The robot is covered in "Smart Rubber" that is the world's first capacitive touch rubber surface.  The sensors are on the bot's upper arms, forearms, hands, and chest. A nurse can then physically guide the bot quickly and make adjustments on the fly for hoisting the patient. Like the RIBA I, the RIBA II's Tokai Rubber also detect slippage and will adjust on its own to keep the patient comfortable.
 
RIBA II has the same "bear" head that was on the original RIBA. The designers claim this is to not scare the patient. The original lifting bot RI-MAN, which could only handle 41 lbs (18 kg), was a little scary. I question the use of either head. It is just a tool, right? A human forklift, in other words. Make it as non-anthropomorphized as possible, in my opinion.
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(RI-MAN by RIKEN)

 
When available in 2015, the RIBA II will cost $77,000 USD (6,000,000 JPY). Much more expensive than the free volunteers I know.
 

video via youtube member kmoriyama
 
Eavesdropper

(All pictures via RIKEN)
  • in reply to DAB

    Perhaps these care robots need Asimov's 3 robotic laws built it then? 1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. 2. A robot must obey any orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. 3.A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

     

    The robot should come in the form of a wheel chair or bed already. SInce, this is where the patient ultimately will end up. Just a thought.

     

    C

  • I think the Japanese are on the right track here.  Taking care of the disabled can be a very difficult task for someone, even if its a loved one.  A robot would have the infinite patience to carefully support a person in need and could be relied upon to use the correct procedures each time.  The only risk would be a failure in which the robot could inadvertantly harm the person being cared for.

     

    DAB