Universal hospital worker - robot Gary

He works every shift available, he never calls in sick, and he doesn’t stop for a coffee, a cigarette or a bathroom break. But he does need time to recharge his batteries – literally. Gary is a robot, designed and built by Israel-based startup Unlimited Robotics. 

Since the start of this year a dozen Garys have been working at two of Israel’s largest hospitals — Rabin Medical Center in Petah Tikva and Shamir Medical Center in Be’er Ya’akov.

Guy Altagar, the company’s CEO, says it’s only the start and there will be many, many more Garys. The company has signed an agreement with Israel’s Ministry of Health to provide robots for public hospitals. 

And 10 Garys began working at a hospital in Philadelphia in July. The US is a huge target market for the company.

Not enough personnel

Gary is one answer to a global recruitment crisis in healthcare facilities, says Altagar. There simply aren’t enough people willing to work in a hospital when they can get a job in Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts or McDonald’s for the same money.

By 2030, the problem will be so acute that there will be a shortfall of 18 million health workers globally, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Gary costs around $30,000 to buy (plus a monthly fee), which is less than a year’s salary for a typical US hospital worker ($35,000 to $42,000), says Altagar. Except that Gary works a 140-hour week with no vacations.

Unlimited Robotics, founded in 2020, has narrowed its original focus from “general purpose” robots that could help around the home or workplace – factories, hotels or airports – to those specifically suited to hospitals.

“Focus is part of our maturity as a startup company,” Altagar tells ISRAEL21c. “You learn that to conquer the world, you have to start with baby steps that are very carefully measured.”

In other words, there are many opportunities for Gary, but Unlimited Robotics must concentrate on one at a time. So why healthcare? “To be honest I didn’t think of it as a prime sector, but it chose us,” Altagar says. “The demand that we’re getting from organizations both in Israel and the US is huge.”

Autonomous, adaptable

Gary is an autonomous robot, which means he takes “initiative” rather than relying on minute-by-minute instructions. He also has two arms, whereas most robots have just one because coordination of two simultaneously is exceptionally complicated.

And he’s adaptable. Most robots are designed for a single task, but Gary can quickly pick up new skills thanks to an open-source platform that allows software developers with no prior experience of robotics to build applications. “Our operating system allows us to add more and more capabilities with a relatively short development time,” says Altagar.

I was wondering how patients experience Gary, but although patients do benefit from the robot’s presence, it is primarily there for the employees.

“The main problem is a severe shortage of staff, not just nurses and doctors, but the teams surrounding them that help them to achieve and perform better,” says Altagar.

“At the same time there’s a rise in demand for healthcare services, people are living longer, they’re hospitalized more and the pressure on healthcare systems is growing. Gary is designed to help the medical teams.”

What he can do

Gary provides a range of services in healthcare facilities, for example meeting the constant demand for bed linens, water, medical devices and other items so that medical personnel can spend more time treating patients. 

Gary also engages selected geriatric patients in conversation, to maintain or improve their cognitive capabilities. He recognizes them and (using AI) personalizes every conversation. Eight out of 10 patients say they are happy to chat to a robot, says Altagar. 

Gary also functions as an interpreter and note-taker. In Israel, many patients don’t speak Hebrew so Gary provides real-time translations between them and the medical professionals.

He also records and transcribes conversations with patients and adds them to their medical files so the doctor doesn’t have to write up notes of every interaction. “It sounds like a small task, say three to five minutes for each patient, but it adds up,” says Altagar.

And Gary cleans. He can mop the floor and sanitize surfaces, and by early next year he’ll be able to clean toilets and urinals. He also keeps an eye out for lost property, broken windows, and anything out of the ordinary that requires human intervention.

“The bottom line is that we’re trying to increase the amount of time that the medical teams invest in patients rather than in logistics, administration and simple tasks that they shouldn’t have to do,” says Altagar. 

Learning on the job

Staff can see where the Garys are in their hospital on a smartphone app. In theory they can summon one – like a Gett or an Uber – but in practice requests for a Gary generally go through an administrator. There’s inevitably some trial and error. Gary sometimes take the wrong elevator, or gets out at the wrong floor.

“The technology is young and there’s no textbook on how to build a robot for hospitals,” says Altagar. “But the one thing that I noticed is that hospitals are very patient and willing to accept those mistakes.”

Having said that, he accepts there will be resistance from some hospitals to the idea of robotic helpers. “Gary is not as smart as a human,” says Altagar. “But Gary’s not replacing humans, he’s assisting them.”

Unlimited Robotics, based in Petah Tikva in central Israel, has attracted $10 million in funding from big names in the startup world – including Avishai Abrahami, CEO of Wix; and Micha Kaufman, CEO of Fiverr. The company has 30 employees, and offices in Boston (USA) and Bogota (Colombia).

John Jeffay