MUMBAI, India, July 7 -- Intellectual Property India has published a patent application (202641077868 A) filed by Srm Institute Of Science And Technology, Ramapuram Campus; and Easwari Engineering College on June 24, 2026, for Medinav- Smart Autonomous Hospital Service Robot With Voice And Gesture Interface.
Inventors include Padma Nayani G J; Nandhini V; Gopika Shree R; Dr. W. Margaret Amutha; and Dr. S. Premalatha.
The application for the patent was published on July 03, 2026, under issue no. 27/2026.
Abstract: FIELD OF INVENTION The present invention relates to intelligent robotic systems used in healthcare environments. More specifically, it describes a smart delivery robot in hospitals, designed to transport medicines, laboratory samples, medical reports and small medical equipment within hospital premises. The system integrates line following navigation, obstacle detection, gesture recognition and voice command technology to enable safe and contactless interaction between hospital staff and the robot. Through the integration of sensing, processing, and control mechanisms, the system enables safe, reliable, and contactless delivery operations in hospitals. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Hospitals require frequent movement of medicines, laboratory samples, patient reports, and medical tools between departments such as pharmacies, wards, laboratories, and nursing stations. Traditionally, these transportation activities are carried out manually by nurses, assistants, or hospital support staff. Although necessary, these tasks consume valuable time that medical personnel could otherwise dedicate to patient care. In large hospitals, repeated movement of staff for small delivery tasks may lead to operational inefficiencies and increased workload. During infectious disease outbreaks or pandemic situations, frequent human interaction during manual transportation may increase the risk of contamination. Many automated hospital delivery robots exist today; however, most rely on expensive technologies such as LiDAR mapping and complex localization systems, resulting in high installation costs and infrastructure requirements. In contrast, the proposed system utilizes cost- effective and modern technologies, including ESP32-based embedded processing, IoT-enabled communication, infrared line- following sensors, ultrasonic-based obstacle detection, and edge-level voice recognition modules. These technologies significantly reduce overall system cost while improving real-time responsiveness, energy efficiency, and ease of deployment in indoor hospital environments. The proposed MediNav robot integrates these features with gesture-based activation and voice command functionality to provide an efficient, user-friendly, and hygienic solution for hospital delivery operations.
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
