Hardly any industrialized country carried out fewer PCR tests than Japan during the pandemic. One reason for this is that the capacity of public health centers is limited. This gave the industrial robot manufacturer Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) an idea: Why not just automate the test and laboratory work like a production line in a car factory in order to be able to carry out more tests faster – and pack everything in a container?

Everything in one container This week the company introduced Japan’s Minister of Health Norihisa Tamura proposed the system that KHI and laboratory equipment giant Sysmex developed in their Medicaroid joint venture. The joint venture is currently selling surgical robots. For the automation of the corona tests, the developers are now using robot arms, a remote control technology from the robot manufacturer and an automated test laboratory.

And this is how it works: The suspected case comes before the Robot, one person holds the head. A nurse then uses the robotic arm to maneuver the test stick from a distance through the nose and into the pharynx. The smear is then passed on and evaluated by other machines. 80 Minutes later, the result is available, so the promise. So far, tested people have to wait two to three days for the result.

2000 People should be able to be tested in 16 hours. And not just stationary: As a special highlight, the partners have considered setting up the system as a mobile laboratory. The system was designed so that it fits into a 16 foot container.

Robots in the hospital It can therefore be taken anywhere in the country by truck and served there with a minimal crew. With this, the developers want to help, for example, to test passengers more quickly before flights, or visitors to sports events before entering the arena.

Minister Tamura praised the fact that the use of robotic test systems relieves the medical staff and increase the accuracy of the tests. But he didn’t promise the developers any contracts. However: You stand for a trend that could now be accelerated by the pandemic – the growing spread of robots in hospitals and nursing homes.

So far, surgical robots have been used in the medical field , who help doctors with complex procedures, still accounts for almost two thirds of the market from robots, according to Fortune Business Insights. Before the crisis, the experts already expected that their growing spread and a boom in telepresence and rehabilitation robots would reduce the market volume between 2019 and 2024 could quadruple to more than ten billion dollars.

Automated emergency capacity KHI’s system could now contribute to further growth if it makes the leap from prototype to product. And the Japanese don’t stop there. You have also considered a mobile robot system that can bring food to hospital patients.

It is doubtful whether these systems can be used in the short term, as they must first go through complex approval procedures. But based on current experience, governments around the world will not only develop pandemic protocols to contain the next global wave of disease early on. Japan in particular will also invest in new emergency capacities.

The lack of intensive care beds in the country means that the country is afraid of a collapse of the health system even in the event of a moderate virus wave. That should absolutely be prevented. (bsc)