Advaned robots in healthcare and their impact on the health and safety of medical workers^*

Abstract

This article reviews recent work on advanced robotic systems in the medical field, with a focus on implications for occupational safety and health.The Human Health and Social Activities sector is currently the research field with the highest activity when it comes to the topic of human-robot interaction. The technology holds the potential to impact occupational safety and health for medical workers. Based on an extensive literature review we categorize and analyze the current research activity in the healthcare sector. This includes a mapping of the type of robotic system used, what tasks are automated, how tasks and jobs are transformed and the possible OSH impact occurs. We identify trends and gaps in research and derive recommendations for the implementation of robotic system in the sector. A total of 13 relevant meta-analysis and systematic reviews were selected and analyzed. The results show a strong focus on the automation of person related tasks via socially assistive robots. Secondly, robotic systems for rehabilitation and mobility are highly present in the sample. The OSH impacts are predominantly psychosocial or organizational. However, there are significant research gaps when it comes ergonomic impact on the medical personal. Our results can be used to guide new research and to design and implement robotic systems with a human centered approach.