A robot named Trina, which stands for Tele-Robotic Intelligent Nursing Assistant, is being developed and refined through a collaboration between Duke’s School of Engineering and School of Nursing students and staff, according to an article on the News Observer website.
Since the Ebola outbreak, new technologies, including robots, are being tested as alternatives to human contact to diminish risks for providers as they care for patients with infectious diseases, the article said.
When healthcare providers work with infected patients they dress in multiple layers of protective clothing, wipe everything down with bleach and utilize multiple rooms.
Duke officials are hoping to improve the process the remote-controlled robot that nurses and doctors can navigate — in another room — and direct to move linens, take vital signs and pass food and medications.
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