Akara, an Irish health innovation robotics company, has developed a robot that is set to revolutionise healthcare. A spin-out from Trinity College Dublin, the company emerged from more than a decade of research in cutting edge-robotics, artificial intelligence, applied microbiology, and user-centred design. The start-up first introduced ‘Stevie’, a social care robot designed to interact with older people and help in nursing homes and retirement communities. Leading on from this, the company has developed their newest robotic model, ‘Violet’.
Akara’s goal is to modernise public health using technology through data-driven automation tools that make healthcare settings safe and allow them to be run more efficiently. The company was the first to validate the effectiveness of a fully autonomous UV disinfection robot and the first to demonstrate the ability of a disinfection robot to reduce turnaround times in a clinical setting. The robot ‘Violet’ can clean hospitals ten times faster using UV light disinfectant. ‘Violet’ is mobile, allowing it to be rapidly deployed in minutes to the areas that need it the most, while its sensors and AI enable it to dynamically respond to the environment in ways that are not possible with static purification units. The startup has also developed a platform that stores all data and information on cleaning procedures, which eliminates paperwork and saves time.
The idea behind ‘Violet’ was developed during Covid-19 pressures with contamination and airborne viruses. ‘Violet’ operates to kill bacteria, harmful germs, and viruses. It also reduces dependency on the use of chemical-based solutions. The company’s main concern consists of contamination infections costing lives and money in the healthcare industry. Infections contracted in healthcare settings lead to three times more deaths than road traffic accidents.
Rolled out during the pandemic for use by the HSE, the company has now expanded into enabling medical procedures in UK trials. The robot was trialled in a major NHS hospital in the UK, with early results suggesting it could reduce room downtime in critical parts of the hospital by more than 60%.
Joanne Taylor, Consultant Nurse and Deputy Director of Infection Prevention and Control at RCHT, commented, “the robot has definitely improved things for patients, as the reduced downtime means we can get more patients seen in a day while maintaining the highest standards in environmental cleanliness. Based on time savings made during the trial period, we estimate that its use could enable as many as 2,400 additional procedures a year, which would have a very significant effect on reducing the waiting lists.”
Recently, Akara joined fifteen other companies at the Start-Ups Meet Healthcare Providers accelerator. This was run by EIT Health, the EU-funded network of European health-focused innovators that provides funding, training, mentorship, and networking opportunities.
Dr. Conor McGinn, CEO of Akara, said that participating in the EIT Health accelerator helped the start-up develop a relationship with “a target hospital and potential user of our core technology.”
The company has now partnered with an Estonian hospital to help with disinfection using the technology. The software application will be trialled with workers at Tartu University Hospital later this year. The new robotic system is already offering the potential in making hospitals a safer environment for everyone.
Sources: Akara, EIT Health
