Prevalent back pain and musculoskeletal injuries during patient handling and transfer calls for reliable, safe and usable patient transfer assistive systems. Although there have been numerous robotic platforms developed for this purpose, the technology has yet to be transitioned to real-world settings due to usability, compatibility with users and environments and cost effectiveness. The goal of PATRO is first to understand the unmet needs and functional/design requirements of patient transfer robots from which we can design a robot that would have high acceptability and usability for end-users (patients, caregivers, nurses). 

Inspector Gadget - this is the end goal! If we can extend the arm to reach a distant object while sitting (especially if you are wheelchair-ridden) or grab something from a top shelf without using a stool or chair, that'd be very convenient.. Many people with gait disability or impairment have to face this challenge every day.  We aim to generate a solution, a device, an integrable robot for people who are in need of such assistive technology. 

Develop a tele-robotic system integrating actuating mechanisms, sensors, and wireless communication protocol to provide a telepresence with haptic feedback.