"Personal robots in medical technology". This term is often associated with robotic surgical systems and surgical robots, such as the Da Vinci surgical system. Unknown in this context is the idea of how the so-called SPOT - "dog robot" from Boston Dynamics, can take over important functions in the field of medical technology. To address this question, the SPOT User group has been set up. Different students from various disciplines and courses joined the MEDTECH-User group.
The SPOT User Group is primarily a student group and will be run by students for students. The students themselves can bring their ideas, interests and use cases to the group, creating a learning environment free from university requirements and obligations. The project aims to generate knowledge in an interdisciplinary group of students and in addition, to further build long-term competencies in the field of Medical Robotics, Personal Robots and Assisted Living.
At the start of the working group, an independent group division subsequently defined the two first use cases "Autonomous Navigation for Intelligent Walkway Planning" and "SPOT Docking Station".
We asked two students why they joined the SPOT User Group and what they would like to achieve in this group. Here are their answers:
Florian Mütterlein:
MCI: Why are you part of the SPOT User Group?
Florian: Basically, many topics in technology interest me so much that I would like to work on other projects besides university. Voluntary project groups like the SPOT User Group have the advantage that you can pursue your interests and goals without the pressure of achieving good grades. I think you can get a tremendous benefit from the project in this way.
MCI: What topics fascinate you the most about SPOT?
Florian: I find it interesting to make a robot like SPOT a smart companion in everyday life. I think it is especially exciting to give the SPOT robot a "feeling" for its environment in which it can move intelligently, following the example of autonomous driving.
MCI: What do you want to achieve in the SPOT team?
Florian: As a sub-project of the SPOT User Group, we would like to achieve that SPOT can create a map of its everyday spaces and then, based on this map, implement intelligent walking route planning in terms of obstacles routes and destination sequence.
MCI: Why are you in the SPOT User Group?
Katarzyna: The SPOT group not only enables me to put what I have learned into practice but also motivates me to develop myself further. It allows me to live out my creativity and turning my ideas into action.
Katarzyna: I find the mobility of SPOT especially fascinating. It is unbelievable how you can control the maintenance of stability and the locomotion in rough terrain through the software.
Katarzyna: I would like to use SPOT as a hospital assistant in reality. Hospital staff have many tasks and are overworked nowadays. That is why I believe that a "robotic assistant" could make the medical staff's day easier.
SPOT - MedTech Impressions.
© Jonas Kreiner
