RIBA (Robot for Interactive Body Assistance)

Introduction

Ageing of the European population

Introduction

The worldwide increase in life expectancy puts healthcare systems under increasing pressure due to functional impairments and chronic and degenerative diseases typically related to senescence.

According to the National Institute of Statistics, in all EU countries the population aged 80 years and over increased significantly, between 2001 and 2020, with a percentage of 3.4 to 5.9 respectively, except Sweden, where it remained constant at 5%.

In relation to Lithuania, the percentage of people over 80 has more than doubled (2.3% - 5.9%), whereas in Spain it has remained slightly more constant (3.7% - 6%). (1) (2)

Source: Eurostat (3)

Health issue

Artificial intelligence in old age

Is it possible to transfer older adults from bed to wheelchair or vice versa without the intervention of health personnel?

Health issue

YES!

Nowadays, thanks to robots driven by artificial intelligence (AI), this problem is beginning to be solved

22

Solution

Its name is RIBA:

Designed to look like a giant teddy bear. It transports patients in "human-like" arms. Equipped with tactile sensors to detect the patient's contact position, allowing the movement to be adjusted accordingly (4) (5).

Solution

Who is it for?

Who is it for?

Elderly people and/or patients with motor impairments who require assistance to move from one side to the other

Insert Photo

All about RIBA

Notebook

All about RIBA

RIBA (Robot for Interactive Body Assistance) is a Japanese robot that not only assists people with reduced mobility, but also recognises voices and faces. It has evolved from another robot, RI-MAN, created in 2006 by the RIKEN Institute, which held bedridden patients in its arms and relieved nurses of the task of carrying patients to move them, change their bedclothes or place them in a wheelchair.

The robot has controls on its back that allow nurses to programme the tasks it has to perform, for example, the room number to move a patient to. In addition, the robot can be guided by capacitive sensors on its arm, so if a nurse takes it by the arm, the robot can stop or follow it around the hospital. These same sensors are distributed across the robot's chest, arms, forearms and hands, which will be used to detect the patient's mass and wingspan and apply the appropriate force.

Today, the latest version of the robot is RIBA-II, the same as its predecessors but with a slightly more flexible body that allows it to bend down and pick people up from the ground. Its reinforced structure allows it to lift people weighing up to 80 kg and, thanks to its network of sensors, to measure with much greater precision the weight being held, adjusting the grip and movements. (6)

RIBA features (7)

1

Height: 140cm/55in

2

Payload: 61kg/ 134lbs (tested value)

3

Weight: 180kg/400lbs (including battery)

Base movement: Omni-directional

with omni-wheels

4

5

RIBA features

Hand sensor with 4 sensing-elements (for each hand)

11

Area tactile sensor with 128 sensing-elements (for each upper arm), 86 sensing-elements (for each forearm)

6

Vision sensor: two cameras

7

Auditory sensor: two microphones

8

Operation time:one hour in standard

use

9

Actuator: DC motor

10

Power: NiMH battery

Benefits of assistive robots (8)

High quality patient care

Operational efficiencies

Safe work environment

- Maintain the safety of healthcare workers

- Reduce back injuries

- Reduce patient falls

- Relieves workload and thus improves empathy and social interaction with the patient

- Reduces pressure injuries due to lack of mobilisation

- Streamline routine tasks

- Reduce physical demands on healthcare staff

-Ensures more consistent processes

- Increases patient mobilisation

Benefits of assistive robots

Ethical guidelines for trustworthy AI (9)

On 8 April 2019, the High Level Expert Group on AI presented Ethical Guidelines for Trusted Artificial Intelligence.

Trustworthy AI has three components, which should be met throughout the system's entire life cycle:

Ethical guidelines for trustworthy AI

2. It should be ethical, ensuring adherence to ethical principles and values

3. it should be robust, both from a technical and social perspective, since, even with good intentions, AI systems can cause unintentional harm

1. It should be lawful, complying with all applicable laws and regulations

Bibliography

Noteboo

Bibliography

1. Instituto Nacional de Estadística. Demography of Europe - An ageing population [Internet]. Demography of Europe. [citado el 25 de septiembre de 2023]. Disponible en: https://www.ine.es/prodyser/demografia_UE/bloc-1c.html?lang=es

2. De Michieli, L., Petrushin, A., Bustreo, M., Del Bue, A., Barresi, G. (2023). Robots in Geriatric Care: A Future with No Return?. In: Pilotto, A., Maetzler, W. (eds) Gerontechnology. A Clinical Perspective. Practical Issues in Geriatrics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-32246-4_10

3. Eurostat [Internet]. Europa.eu. [citado el 25 de septiembre de 2023]. Disponible en: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/DEMO_PJANIND__custom_964289/bookmark/table?lang=en&bookmarkId=599174db-325f-429b-87ba-6af6b18e9ca9

4. M. Onishi, Z. W. Luo, T. Odashima, S. Hirano, K. Tahara, and T. Mukai, “Generation of Human Care Behaviors by Human-Interactive Robot RI-MAN,” in Proc. IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), pp. 3128–3129, (2007).

5. T. Mukai, M. Onishi, T. Odashima, S. Hirano, and Z. W. Luo, “Development of the Tactile Sensor System of a Human- Interactive Robot „RI-MAN‟,” IEEE Trans. on Robotics, Vol.24, No.2, pp.505– 512, (2008)

6. Velasco JJ. RIBA II, el robot-enfermero que viene de Japón [Internet]. Hipertextual. 2011 [citado el 25 de septiembre de 2023]. Disponible en: https://hipertextual.com/2011/08/riba-ii-robot-enfermero-japon

7. Salton J. RIBA the friendly robot nurse [Internet]. New Atlas. 2009 [citado el 25 de septiembre de 2023]. Disponible en: https://newatlas.com/riba-robot-nurse/12693/

8. Lecture 5,6. Robotics for medical applications. Moodle Klaipėdos valstybinė kolegija. [Internet]. [citado el 25 de septiembre de 2023]. Disponible en: https://moodle.kvk.lt/pluginfile.php/129139/mod_resource/content/1/Modulis%206.pdf

9. Ethics guidelines for trustworthy AI [Internet]. Shaping Europe’s digital future. [citado el 25 de septiembre de 2023]. Disponible en: https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/ethics-guidelines-trustworthy-ai