Introducing Collaborative Robots as a First Step Towards Autonomous Reprocessing of Medical Equipment

Ensuring the sterility of medical equipment, particularly endoscopes used in environments teeming with diverse pathogens and drug-resistant bacteria, is crucial for safe medical procedures. However, the complexity of endoscope reprocessing, which involves numerous dexterous manual manipulations, poses significant challenges. Achieving certification for sterilization requires precise, repetitive execution with strict tolerances. In this study, we propose a framework that automates the handling and storage of endoscopes right after the sterilization process and employs compliant collaborative robots to address these dexterous manipulation challenges. In the first stage, we identified the key manipulation skills involved in the process through observations and feedback from medical personnel. In the second stage, we proposed a system that employs a high-level action planner to orchestrate the removal and storage of endoscopes, integrating two collaborative robots and a linear unit. Through real-time force measurements, compliant control, task knowledge, and safety protocols, we establish a system that ensures the safety of both medical equipment and personnel in proximity. In our first experiment, we conducted 50 trials with a 100 % reliability rate. Each trial had an execution time of 102 seconds, with a variance of 1.2 seconds. In our second experiment, we performed 10 trials with a human obstructing the transfer path, facing away from the robot. In all cases, the system successfully and promptly detected the collision. This work pioneers the automation of medical reprocessing in sterile environments using tactile robots and addresses the associated challenges.