CHEMICALS & PHARMACEUTICALS


Today’s robots can perform multiple tasks in laboratories, and are easy to programme (right)


While YuMi offers speed as an advantage, it is also inherently safe in design (left)


to replace the picking head to handle a range of similar products. According to internal ABB research, the


global market is estimated to reach nearly 60,000 non-surgical medical robots by 2025, which is a fourfold increase from 2018. In October 2019, ABB opened a new research


centre at the Texas Medical Center (TMC) in the US, to work alongside the best minds in academia, science and medicine to advance on new robotic and automation concepts for hospitals and medical facilities, laboratories, the pharmaceutical industry and medical device manufacturers. Marc Segura, ABB’s managing director


Consumer Segments & Service Robotics, said: “The ABB team in our healthcare research centre in Houston is researching new applications and supporting development of new cutting-edge robotics solutions with our partners. Our aim is to reduce the number of manual procedures that need to be performed by people and improve the cost and accuracy of laboratory work, which will enhance patient satisfaction and ultimately


patient safety.” Prototype technologies


(not yet available for sale) showcased by ABB at the Healthcare Research Hub since it opened include YuMi robots that may be able to aid in centrifuge tending and test tube handling systems and an IRB 1200 robot that could execute liquid transfers in a pipetting application. Another prototype concept under


development for ABB Healthcare Robots is a mobile dual-arm YuMi robot. Designed to assist medical and laboratory staff with laboratory and logistics tasks in hospitals, it may be able to sense and navigate its way around its human co-workers autonomously, while learning to find different routes from one location to another. It has the potential to undertake a wide range of repetitive and time-consuming activities, including preparation of medicines, loading and unloading of medical devices, pipetting and


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handling liquids and sorting test tubes. While YuMi and other ABB robotic


components have broad potential in medical applications, each medical device must undergo a robust design and testing process to assess if the device can safely perform its intended use for each unique medical application before being commercialised. It is the sole responsibility of the medical device manufacturers to conform to all applicable laws, standards, and guidelines.


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ABB Robotics & Discrete Automation www.abb.com/robotics


JUNE 2021 | PROCESS & CONTROL 39


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