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SINGAPORE: A self-administered robot has been developed in Singapore that automates the taking of COVID-19 smear tests, helping to reduce the risk of exposure to coronavirus for healthcare workers.
Doctors from the Singapore National Cancer Center (NCCS) and Singapore General Hospital (SGH) have partnered with Biobot Surgical, a company specializing in medical robotics technology, to develop SwabBot.
The robot helps address the limitations of manual COVID-19 swab testing by reducing the need for trained manpower, standardizing the consistency of swabs taken, and “providing higher throughput” of swab testing, as the robot does not suffer from fatigue, all three groups said. in a press release on Monday (September 21).
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THE HISO PROCESS COMPLETED IN ABOUT 20 SECONDS
The SwabBot is a “self-administered” robot, which means that patients can activate and terminate the process at will. When a patient is ready, they can use their chin to activate the robot and start the smear process.
The robot then extends the swab through the nose to the back of the nasal cavity, which is usually about 10 cm from the nostrils.
“Even after many swabs, it retains the same smooth touch and precision as surgeons performing very delicate procedures,” said Dr. Luke Tay, consultant in the Department of Vascular Surgery at SGH.
“In addition, the quality of the sample remains constant even though the structures of the nose can vary in size and shape.”
SwabBot preparation for a demo. (Photo: NCCS)
To ensure the safety of the person receiving the swab, the robot has a built-in feature that retracts the swab stick if there is resistance as it moves further into the nasal cavity, according to the press release.
If someone cannot tolerate the process, they can stop it by moving their head away from the robot.
The robotic swabbing process takes about 20 seconds to complete.
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MINIMIZES RISKS FOR HEALTH WORKERS
The SwabBot can also benefit healthcare workers performing swab testing. It allows healthcare workers to assist with the smear process from a safe distance, said lead researcher Dr. Rena Dharmawan, associate consultant for head and neck surgery in the Division of Surgery and Surgical Oncology at NCCS.
“Our team felt we had to find a better way to scrub patients to reduce the risk of COVID-19 exposure to our healthcare workers, especially when patients sneeze or cough, during the smear process,” he said.
“It also helps optimize resources, as fewer healthcare workers are needed to perform swab collection and less Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is used,” he added.
The SwabBot along with (from left to right) Dr. Rena Dharmawan, Dr. Paul Tern, Ms. Hee Jia Yun, and Dr. Tay Hsien Ts’ung. (Photo: NCCS)
“EXPERIENCE WITHOUT PAIN”
The SwabBot project started in April, and the concept became a clinical prototype in three months.
“When we developed the SwabBot, we envisioned a selfie device that could be deployed and used, similar to how self-checkout systems are now prevalent in supermarkets,” said Biobot Surgical CEO Sim Kok Hwee.
“This should be especially effective for the routine tests listed and reduce the labor involved in swabbing operations.”
READ: Singapore scientists develop COVID-19 test method that delivers results in 36 minutes
To date, 75 patients have been recruited for the ongoing clinical trial to compare robotic swapping with manual swabbing performed by humans.
A migrant worker admitted to Bright Vision Hospital for COVID-19 was one of those recruited for the clinical trial.
“The experience was painless and the smear process by the robot was very quick,” said Ariata Elizer Ellevera, 49.
SingHealth, the public healthcare group of which NCCS and SGH are part, has filed a patent for the technology together with Biobot Surgical, according to the press release.
The robot has also been registered with the Health Sciences Authority as a Class A medical device and BioBot is in preparation for CE marking for global commercialization.
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