Revolutionizing Healthcare Delivery: The Potential of Public-area Mobile Robots

Author: Bern Grush

Published: March 30, 2025

In an era where healthcare systems worldwide face significant challenges—from staffing shortages to capacity constraints—innovation in service delivery has become increasingly important. Public-area mobile robots (PMRs) represent an emerging technological development with potential to transform how we deliver healthcare services, particularly to vulnerable populations.

The Healthcare Mobility Opportunity

PMRs are ground-based autonomous vehicles capable of navigating public spaces such sidewalks and in public buildings, and can offer transportation of medical supplies over distances of several kilometers. When integrated with aerial drone systems, this multi-modal approach can create a delivery network capable of serving areas up to tens of kilometers from medical facilities.

Applications include:

• Delivery from local pharmacies to senior living communities or homes of disabled individuals

• Medical equipment transport between healthcare facilities and patients' residences

• Laboratory sample collection enabling at-home testing with return to processing facilities

• Post-operative care support potentially enabling earlier hospital discharge through home monitoring and supply delivery

Beyond Medical Benefits: The Broader Impact

The value of PMRs extends beyond direct healthcare applications. These technologies could create additional benefits:

• Reduce senior driving - With delivery of medications and groceries, seniors could maintain independence while potentially reducing their need to drive.

• Support aging in place - By providing essential services to homes, PMRs could help seniors remain in their preferred residences longer.

• Environmental considerations - Electric PMRs produce fewer direct emissions compared to traditional delivery vehicles, particularly for last-mile logistics in urban environments.

• Healthcare resource optimization - More efficient delivery systems could potentially help healthcare providers better allocate resources.

Challenges

Despite their potential, several challenges must be addressed for PMRs to fulfill their healthcare promise:

Regulatory Framework

The current regulatory landscape for PMRs remains underdeveloped, creating uncertainty for both technology providers and municipal governments. This includes:

• Certification standards for medical-grade PMR systems

• Operating parameters in public spaces

• Data privacy protections for medical deliveries

• Liability frameworks for autonomous systems with at-risk cargo

Infrastructure Requirements

Successful deployment would require appropriate infrastructure:

• Air-ground transfer stations with appropriate security and environmental controls

• Temperature-controlled cargo compartments to maintain medical supply integrity

• Secure authentication systems for medical deliveries

Public Acceptance

For widespread adoption, communities would need to understand and accept these technologies. This would require:

• Transparent communication about safety protocols

• Clear identification of medical delivery PMRs

• Community input and education regarding deployment strategies

• Demonstrated reliability in most weather conditions

A Path Forward

To realize the potential of PMRs in healthcare delivery, a collaborative approach is essential. Healthcare systems, technology developers, regulatory bodies, and community representatives would need to work together to establish a wide as possible range of conditions:

1.          Testing protocols for reliable medical-delivery PMRs

2.          Regulatory frameworks for municipal adoption

3.          Pilot program structures to evaluate effectiveness

4.          Infrastructure planning to support deployment

The integration of PMRs with aerial drones into healthcare delivery would represent an innovation in how we provide care. By evaluating such integrations, we can determine whether and how they might make our healthcare systems that are more accessible and efficient while supporting individuals' independence.

Photo: October 2024; Serve Robotics and Wing Aviation announced a pilot partnership to expand eco-friendly, autonomous food delivery.

Public announcements have already been made regarding pilot projects that are already underway for food delivery (https://serverobotics.gcs-web.com/news-releases/news-release-details/serve-robotics-and-wing-partner-expand-autonomous-delivery). We'll share more updates with our members as new research projects related to healthcare are announced in the coming year.

As research and development continue, PMRs will be able offer solutions to healthcare logistics challenges, and creating new pathways for community-based care delivery. Contact us and join the Urban Robotics Foundation to explore these issues in more depth!