Cobionix, a company founded at the University of Waterloo, Canada, has performed the first autonomous robotic intramuscular injection using its Cobi platform, which aims to improve patient care and assist with labour shortages.
The autonomous robotics company performed the injection, which replaces needles with a high-pressure fluid jet, using its platform.
Tim Lasswell, co-founder and CEO of Cobionix, said: “We outfitted Cobi to use a needle-free injection technology and to demonstrate that patients could receive intramuscular injections, such as vaccines, without needles and no involvement from a healthcare professional.”
Initially, Cobi uses cameras to detect the presence of a patient and their identification. The robotic hand features lidar sensors to scans the patient creating a 3D map of the body, which is analysed by software to determine the best spot for an injection to be made.
Through a tablet-like screen, the patient is then given instructions on how to prepare for the injection. The platform provides advice on where to stand, in what position, and whether articles of clothing need to be removed.
As well providing needleless injections the team believe Cobi is versatile robotics platform, which can be configured and tailored for countless tasks.
Nima Zamani, co-founder and CTO of Cobionix, added: “Autonomous solutions such as Cobi could protect healthcare workers, reduce healthcare costs, and improve patient outcomes.
“The autonomous nature of Cobi also dramatically reduces the infrastructure requirements of vaccine clinics which could help reach populations in remote areas with limited access to medical care.”
