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Hospitals in the Gulf region may soon be welcoming humanoid robots into their facilities in a bid to break down the language barriers staff often face with the numerous expats who live and work in the region.
Pepper, one example, speaks 19 languages and has been developed to improve social and health care by the Belgian company Zora Bots. It can welcome visitors, provide information and guide patients to the correct floor and room.
With a speed of just 3 km/h (1.8 mph), Pepper is also able to guide slower patients. Fully charged, it can work for up to 20 hours on its own.
“The robot itself is a metre 20 high, so it is not like Arnold Schwarzenegger with a leather jacket and an ‘I will be back’ robot,” said Zora Bots’ co-chief executive, Fabrice Goffin.
“It is a quite nice robot and the reactions are positive for the moment.”
During the first week, Pepper, which costs more than BD12,000, was put through its paces and joined the medical team as a receptionist at Ostend hospital AZ Damiaan, mainly working in the maternity department.
