SAMPALOC, Manila — Keeping abreast with the dev0elopments in modern science technologies, particularly in the field robotics, a team of engineers from the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Faculty of Engineering has developed a robot that can help healthcare workers in various hospitals tasks that has been seen as an issue due to the shortage in personnel.

As of April 6, 2024, data from the Department of Health (DoH) showed that the estimated shortage of healthcare workers in the country is at 190,000.

According to the UST engineering team, they have successfully designed a robot they have described as a Logistics Indoor Service Assistant or 'LISA' that can deliver documents or medical supplies, disinfect the hospital and enable remote consultation through its installed tablet.

“Na-develop namin iyong LISA robot during the peak of pandemic (noong) 2020. Kaya kami nakapag-develop nito so that the doctors can have communication with the patients,” the team's project leader and lead innovator Anthony James Bautista pointed out.

“Ngayon nag-evolve iyong project, depende na sa pangangailangan ng mga hospitals, Bautista added.
With additional funding from the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Health and Research Development (DoST-HRD), LISA’s capability was enhanced to address the shortfall in nursing staff and other hospital personnel.

Bautista explained that the robot's main feature is it has sensors that can map out the whole healthcare facility and once saved in its memory, it navigates autonomously around the hospital to carry out different tasks.

“Itong bagong version ng LISA robot, gumagamit kami ng simultaneous localization and mapping, wherein gumagamit kami ng lidar sensors para ma-map ng robot iyong facility at isi-save niya sa memory niya iyon. With that concept, makakapag-navigate autonomously iyong robot,” he said.

Via a mobile app, users can see the various locations or points that LISA can go. The robot also has proximity sensors which can detect objects that can obstruct to its path.