IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - March 2021 - 23

ultrahigh-throughput biodosimetry workstation for radioactive materials handling. It can output a dose estimate with
no further human intervention than the manual placement
of the test tubes. The initial version of the RABIT system
had a capacity of ~6,000 samples/day, and the goal is to
reach 30,000 samples/day after parallelizing various steps.
Its high throughput is partly due to predetermined processing sequences and homogenous features of the test tubes.
However, this is hardly the case in broader scenarios. For
example, the mass screening of COVID-19 among a vast population led to a significant increase in the number of performed polymerase chain reaction tests and antibody tests,
which require a massive amount of heterogeneous test tubes.
Despite the automation in extraction and detection, a remaining problem is the autonomous preparation of the examination plates. Osaka University [20] developed a robotic system
that uses 3D vision and AI planning for autonomously
arranging test tubes. Without specific instructions, the robot
is able to efficiently manage the examination samples. Since
the system does not require expert knowledge by human
operators, it has the potential to significantly increase the
throughput as well as protect and free people for more important work.
Instead of automating laboratory analysis procedures,
robots can also automate the function of conducting experiments. Burger et al. used a KUKA mobile robot to automatically
search for better photocatalysts for hydrogen production from
water in a laboratory setting [Figure 6(c)] [21]. Thanks to its
modularized approach, the robot could be used in conventional
laboratories for research experiments other than photocatalysis.
Robots for laboratory automation have the potential to
alleviate the workload by automating manual processes and

protecting personnel from being exposed to infectious agents.
However, it takes significant time and resources to develop
specialized robots that enable high throughput and accuracy.
Thus, modular design is an opportunity to make robots adaptive to the needs of different kinds of infectious agents.
Besides, all of the robots need to undergo extensive benchmark and reliability tests and meet government regulations
before they can be used. Per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines [22], the SARS-CoV-2 virus
can be cultured only in laboratories with a biosafety level of 3
or higher, which significantly limits the number of facilities
allowed to study the virus and thus hinders the development
of new treatments or vaccines. All of these obstacles affect
how soon robotic solutions can be available to the public.
Robots for Treatment
One in every six patients with COVID-19 experienced severe
conditions involving bilateral pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome [24]. Therefore, endotracheal intubation
was one of the most required treatments to allow for mechanical ventilation. Intubation is a complicated procedure with
high complication rates, and it strongly relies on the manual
dexterity of experienced physicians [25]. It is performed by
placing a tracheal tube into the trachea of the patient while
lifting the jaw with a laryngoscope. This procedure implies
direct contact with contagious airways, and, in the situation of
infectious disease like COVID-19, it exposes the operator to a
high risk of infection. Robots as protective devices can provide valuable help to ensure the safety of doctors and patients
during operation, especially in emergency situations. As
shown in Figure 7, intubation teams involved in airway management procedures are composed of several members with

Outside
Airway
Assistant

Airway
Operator 1
Team
Leader
Patient

COVID-19 Tray

(Airway Operator 2)

Runner 1

Negative
Pressure Room
(If Available)

Runner 3

Airway
Trolley

Bronchoscope

Anteroom
(If Available)

Cardiac
Arrest
Trolley

Runner 2

(Optional)

High-Risk COVID-19 PPE

Standard COVID-19 PPE

No PPE

Figure 7. According to the Safe Airway Society principles of airway management and tracheal intubation, intubation teams are
composed of multiple operators with specific roles. Hence, the adoption of robotic solutions may substantially relieve the workflow by
replacing/assisting some personnel [34]. (Used with permission of Wiley Online Library.)

MARCH 2021

IEEE ROBOTICS & AUTOMATION MAGAZINE

IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - March 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - March 2021