The robot-based medical device Robert supports physiotherapists in their work. Technical assistants can be used when people need to keep their distance from each other to prevent the spread of coronavirus. "We are currently seeing increased demand because hospitals want to reduce direct physical contact with patients. With our solution, we want to help mobilize patients faster and more efficiently and relieve the burden on physiotherapists," says Keld Thorsen, CEO of Life Science Robotics, based in Aalborg, Denmark.

The company was founded in 2014 and now employs eight people. It all started in Denmark. However, Thorsen is currently also receiving inquiries from large German hospital groups and a university hospital, where Robert has already been undergoing testing for three months. The medical device, in which Kuka's LBR Med lightweight robot is integrated, has also been approved for sale in the USA by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) since March 2020. "More and more robots are being integrated into medical devices. We are proud to be helping to shape automation in the medical sector," says Axel Weber, Vice President of the Medical Robotics business unit at Kuka, whose team worked on this solution.

Mobilizing patients faster with rehabilitation robots
Having enough specialist staff and hospital beds available is more important than ever during the coronavirus crisis. "With Robert, we are fundamentally improving the efficiency of the healthcare system," Thorsen emphasizes and adds: "The longer a patient lies in bed without training, the longer rehabilitation takes and other complications such as muscle atrophy or the formation of blood clots can occur."

The lightweight robot LBR Med from Kuka, which also played an important role in the approval of the medical device, is being used. © Life Science Robotics (LSR)

Robert works individually and flexibly, and with great precision. He is able to perform exactly the same movements over and over again - without interruption, fatigue or time constraints. There are two ways to use Robert - either for active training or passive training if the patient is still too weak. In the case of active training, the set-up and learning process takes a maximum of five minutes. After that, the patient can train independently for as long as recommended - including breaks.

This relieves the physiotherapists, who can take care of other patients during mobilization. In addition, the patient can be mobilized more frequently, regardless of whether a therapist is currently unavailable or not allowed to have intensive contact with patients.

Clinical tests underway - first rehab robots in use
The company is working closely with Odense University Hospital and other hospitals to develop a competitive robotic solution that is suitable for everyday use. The LBR Med plays a key role in obtaining approval as a medical device. It is the only robot certified for integration into a medical device.

Robert is already in use in Denmark and Germany. Three Roberts are currently on their way to Texas, where they will be used in hospitals in Houston. Life Science Robotics is currently focusing on new software upgrades. The latest update included sound effects to make training even easier. At the moment, the company's goal is a successful product launch and establishment in the USA and Europe. as