Foxconn and Kawasaki created nurse robot against shortage of 4.5 million personnel
According to World Health Organization forecasts, by 2030 the planet will lack more than 4.5 million nurses. Mass personnel burnout and critical workloads threaten healthcare systems globally.
A technological solution comes from Taiwan. Foxconn corporation together with Kawasaki Heavy Industries created the Nurabot nurse robot based on NVIDIA technologies. The system is undergoing trials in leading Taiwanese clinics, performing routine tasks. Medication delivery, ward patrolling, visitor assistance and distribution of educational materials.
Nurabot represents part of a comprehensive artificial intelligence ecosystem. Developers built digital twins of hospitals where the robot learns in virtual environment through Isaac platform and Omniverse simulators. NVIDIA Jetson Orin and Holoscan hardware platform provides instant perception of dynamic hospital environment.
Implementation statistical indicators are impressive. Nurabot reduced personnel load by 30%, especially during night shifts and visiting hours. Nurses reduced the number of unnecessary movements around the ward, freeing up time for critically important tasks – patient communication, diagnostics and care.
On one hand, robotization solves the problem of personnel shortage. On the other – it raises questions of medical worker deskilling and ethics of machine care for people in vulnerable condition.
