Telepresence Robots for Dynamic, Safety-Critical Environments

Robots are being introduced into dynamic, safety-critical spaces, like emergency departments (EDs). In EDs, healthcare workers (HCWs) must manage multiple tasks while making decisions that directly affect patient outcomes. If robots are not well-situated in EDs, they could exacerbate existing problems and increase the risk of patient harm. Our work explores how robots can integrate into these spaces to support HCWs. We investigate important factors for situating robots in EDs without disrupting workflow, explore how to support HCWs during interruptions, and develop methods to increase safety and reduce errors during robot control. By informing the development of robots that are designed for safety-critical spaces, we hope to increase access to care and reduce patient harm.