Last week Segway New Zealand was approached to provide a Segway Loomo robot for use in wards at Auckland's Middlemore hospital.

Loomo all scrubbed up and ready to help

Operating in 'avatar mode' Loomo would enable a self-isolating specialist to provide interactive, step-by-step instruction to other staff on how to correctly put fit PPE (Personal Protective Equipment such as respirator masks, eye and face shields, gowns, etc). She would use Loomo's built-in camera to watch and check this has been done properly, while communicating via Loomo's colour screen, loudspeaker and microphone array. With correct cross-infection controls in place, Loomo could potentially permit this one supervising staff member to "virtually visit" up to three different theatres of operation at one of Auckland's busiest hospitals. Also being explored is the concept of mounting an iPad tablet onto Loomo to provide a second, larger screen and alternative viewing angle positioned at a higher elevation. Here is a video of a Loomo with an iPad mounted in this fashion. The operator would use two devices simultaneously. For example, a smartphone or tablet is used to drive Loomo around the hospital in Avatar mode, while another device is used to broadcast to the iPad using an app such as Zoom, or Apple's FaceTime. There are some protocols to be developed before deployment can take place. Elsewhere, New Zealand businesses are conducting research with Loomo robots exploring roles where they interact with disabled and elderly persons, and for guest guidance and 'room service' applications in hotels. In related news, here is a video of a Double telepresence robot being used by a business owner to visit his brother who is in isolation inside a hospital ward in Arizona, USA. We wrote an article about Double when it was launched.