F&P Robotics AG
Project dates
Full title of the project:
Night Watch Healthcare based on Event Camera Privacy-Aware Robot Observations
Short name of the project:
NightWatch HERO
Date of the award:
29/01/2021
Project duration:
15 months
Lead Company:
F&P Robotics AG (Switzerland)
Project Partner(s):
AGAPLESION Bethanien Havelgarten (Germany)
iniVation AG (Switzerland)
Abstract
This project will introduce the application of novel event cameras into the field of robotics and the healthcare sector. The main objective is to observe the movements of residents in a nursing home during the night. Such observation is relevant to prevent the development of pressure ulcers in mobility-impaired people. Pressure ulcers, also called decubitus, are a common occurrence in healthcare and often hard to prevent. Therefore healthcare workers are required to check upon mobility-impaired people regularly and move them if they haven’t done it themselves. Through the application of event cameras, those checkups can be done by a robot. Only in the case of a person not moving a staff member is notified to check on a specific patient. Event cameras are incorporating a low response latency, low data rates, high dynamic range and low power consumption. Furthermore, event cameras function well in very low-light conditions of 1-2 Lux, meaning that no extra light source is needed as ambient light is enough to provide reliable detection. This will ensure non-intrusive observation which does not disturb the patient and impede their sleep. These cameras operate by only registering changes in the scene without retaining the image of the full scene. Thereby answering the common concern of data protection. As a second objective, the event camera should allow a robot to operate longer by enabling it to switch off or turn down its power-consuming systems until the event camera recognizes relevant behaviour. Therefore the overall impact of a given robot should be increased, by enabling it to follow its duties for a longer period of time. A successful project will allow manufacturers of event cameras to extend their use cases in the field of robotics and healthcare. Robotics companies could significantly increase their impact and healthcare institutions start to reduce the number of work hours they require for observation tasks.