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Feasibility study of robots in practical use for nursing
Working in the field of nursing can become a backbreaking job when it comes to daily routines such as bed chair transfer of patients. Robotic support such as exoskeleton devices might bring the desired relief for health care personnel. Refining requirements for chosen tasks and test first solutions
This project results from first hand experiences of nurses in the Bürgerspital Basel (https://www.buespi.ch/ ), a modern health care institution that provides services for people with handicap as well as nursing homes for elderly people. From their daily work, the nurses in the Bürgerspital seek solutions in particular for backbreaking work in the daily routine such as patient transfer, e.g. from bed to chair. The challenge is less the possibility of buying existing robotic solutions that transfer patients from one setting into the other. The challenge is rather to find and implement devices in nursing homes so that two important conditions are fulfilled: First, the patients should not feel like goods that are handled by a crane (ethical and human aspects) and second, the nurses should be able to easily use the device (usability, time until ready to use, applicability in different scenarios). To define the requirements that cover the different user perspectives, the potential student will interview the patients and nurses in the nursing homes of the Bürgerspital and should assess the available commercial options for a potential purchase and implementation of robotic (exoskeleton) systems. In case such a potential solution is not available on the market, the requirement definition will serve as a critical starting point for future development projects of a feasible robotic solution that will be implemented in the Bürgerspital as soon as possible.
This project results from first hand experiences of nurses in the Bürgerspital Basel (https://www.buespi.ch/ ), a modern health care institution that provides services for people with handicap as well as nursing homes for elderly people. From their daily work, the nurses in the Bürgerspital seek solutions in particular for backbreaking work in the daily routine such as patient transfer, e.g. from bed to chair. The challenge is less the possibility of buying existing robotic solutions that transfer patients from one setting into the other. The challenge is rather to find and implement devices in nursing homes so that two important conditions are fulfilled: First, the patients should not feel like goods that are handled by a crane (ethical and human aspects) and second, the nurses should be able to easily use the device (usability, time until ready to use, applicability in different scenarios). To define the requirements that cover the different user perspectives, the potential student will interview the patients and nurses in the nursing homes of the Bürgerspital and should assess the available commercial options for a potential purchase and implementation of robotic (exoskeleton) systems. In case such a potential solution is not available on the market, the requirement definition will serve as a critical starting point for future development projects of a feasible robotic solution that will be implemented in the Bürgerspital as soon as possible.
You will be responsible for defining the tasks during which robotic devices should support nurses in their daily work. Based on the task identification, you refine the technical requirements for the device and perform a literature research for finding potential existing solutions in research and on the market. In case different industrial solutions for supporting the nurses in respective tasks exist (case 1), you will plan a study for assessing feasibility of the implementation, design an according ethics application and implement a pilot study. In case no appropriate solution for the required task support is available (case 2), the technical requirements should become the basis for concepts for novel robotic support systems. Basic principles of the according solutions should be assessed in small pilot studies. A combination of cases 1 and 2 are possible, e.g. only one respective system exists on the market.
You will be responsible for defining the tasks during which robotic devices should support nurses in their daily work. Based on the task identification, you refine the technical requirements for the device and perform a literature research for finding potential existing solutions in research and on the market. In case different industrial solutions for supporting the nurses in respective tasks exist (case 1), you will plan a study for assessing feasibility of the implementation, design an according ethics application and implement a pilot study. In case no appropriate solution for the required task support is available (case 2), the technical requirements should become the basis for concepts for novel robotic support systems. Basic principles of the according solutions should be assessed in small pilot studies. A combination of cases 1 and 2 are possible, e.g. only one respective system exists on the market.
You will get full support of the Bürgerspital Basel for carrying out your thesis. As a direct implication, the support of an official nursing institution will allow a fast execution of your survey and easy access to the target groups. During your thesis, you will be supported by experts in nursing science and robotics from University of Basel.
You will get full support of the Bürgerspital Basel for carrying out your thesis. As a direct implication, the support of an official nursing institution will allow a fast execution of your survey and easy access to the target groups. During your thesis, you will be supported by experts in nursing science and robotics from University of Basel.
Human movement science, Engineering
Human movement science, Engineering
Prof. Dr. Georg Rauter, Head of BIROMED-Lab
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Basel
Gewerbestr. 14, Room 12.03.009, CH-4123 Allschwil, Switzerland, +41 61 207 54 70
georg.rauter@unibas.ch biromed.dbe.unibas.ch
Prof. Dr. Georg Rauter, Head of BIROMED-Lab Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Basel Gewerbestr. 14, Room 12.03.009, CH-4123 Allschwil, Switzerland, +41 61 207 54 70 georg.rauter@unibas.ch biromed.dbe.unibas.ch