ST Engineering Launches Aethon Mobile Robots to Deliver Supplies, Increase Health Safety Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic; Tom Vecchiolla Quoted

ST Engineering has announced that it will utilize mobile robots to help healthcare organizations increase preparedness and create more resources amidst the COVID-19 outbreak, the company announced on Monday.

“With Aethon’s TUG already deployed in 140 hospitals and 40 VA medical centers, this proven technology can help ease the load for our nation’s health care workers,” said Tom Vecchiolla, president and CEO of ST Engineering North America. “As we move forward in helping the county deal with the COVID-19 crisis, these robotic TUGs enable doctors, nurses and hospital staff to better serve their patients.”

ST Engineering’s commercialized solutions will help the company deliver medications, lab specimens, meals along with handling larger loads such as linens and trash, completing over 5M deliveries per year with its robots.

Hospitals that have used autonomous mobile robots across departments and throughout old and new facilities have increased efficiency. The robots have helped keep hospital staff safe and healthy, along with their patients.

The robots have also provided the hospital staff relief from miles of walking every day. Since the first week of February, hospital customers located in hotspots around the country have increased their TUG utilization by over 30 percent compared to their weekly average through 2019.

In addition, ST Engineering’s robots will allow greater social distancing since the robot can perform transportation tasks through the hospital while people stay in their respective work areas. The robot cannot be infected and can move through the quarantine areas. It can also be cleaned and ready for use without risk to personal safety.

“While we cannot supply more N95 masks, we can deliver them.  We can’t increase testing capacity, but we can move the specimens.  We don’t make the medications that help patients recover, but we can make sure the pharmacy is supplying the nursing staff efficiently.  Our mobile robots help healthcare organizations improve their preparedness for such an outbreak as we are now experiencing,” ST Engineering concluded.