Step into the future of healthcare, where robots and humans work side by side to transform patient care. This October, Chang Robotics and Jacksonville University (JU) are unveiling “Robot Studio,” a first-of-its-kind space where cutting-edge robots designed for hospitals will be programmed, tested and prepared to revolutionize the healthcare industry. JU has opened approximately 4,000 square feet on the third floor of its Health Sciences Complex for this project, where students, businesses and the public are invited to witness the future in action as these advanced machines get ready to join healthcare teams and reshape the reality of patient care.
Thanks to a collaborative partnership with JU, the Chang Robotics Robot Studio will showcase the final programming and testing of eight new robots preparing for deployment as “cobotic” (collaborative robotic) partners to practitioners in a nearby hospital.
“The partnership with Chang Robotics reflects the growing strength of our engineering and computer science programs at Jacksonville University, aligning with our hands-on design curriculum where students learn the theory and apply their knowledge to relevant emerging technologies,” said Dr. Barbara Ritter, dean of the Davis College of Business & Technology. “Jacksonville is unique in the strong connections between practice and academia and it’s these types of partnerships that ensure our graduates are some of the best prepared in the country to be job-ready on day one.”
Visitors can experience the robots transporting essential supplies within a simulated healthcare environment, moving from a designated supply room to patient rooms. This demonstration will highlight the robots' ability to handle various items, from linens and medical tools to meals and medications, showcasing their potential to streamline hospital logistics. In practice, these autonomous mobile robots will handle many time-consuming and physically taxing aspects of a human practitioner’s role. Robots have been found to increase job satisfaction and reduce turnover for nurses and other health practitioners by enabling them to put more of their time and focus on the work they enjoy most - the time they spend face-to-face with patients.
“Through this partnership with Chang Robotics, our students can collaborate at the cutting edge of healthcare technology, allowing them to apply their robotics, AI and programming skills in real-world scenarios,” said Bill Hill, executive director of Jacksonville University’s STEAM Institute. “It’s an unparalleled opportunity to shape the future of healthcare while preparing the next generation of engineers and computer scientists to lead innovation in an increasingly automated world.”
“This effort aims to showcase the importance of technological implementations like this and its positive impact on healthcare,” said Chang Robotics President Kate McAfoose. “We’re helping all involved to take bigger steps in re-imagining digital, physical and mobile health.”
McAfoose noted that the science demonstrated in the new studio is being implemented and expanded in one of the nation’s largest hospital networks. Successful laboratories like this one and our IP Studio in Evanston, Illinois, were major factors in Chang Robotics being recognized by Fast Company as one of 2024’s Most Innovative Companies in the AI and Robotics category.
The studio serves as an educational resource and a showcase for the support that robotic technology can provide nurses and other healthcare professionals.
