Spain presents robots that diagnose COVID-19
The president of Additum Blockchain , Javier Colás , together with four colleagues, promoted the Super Robot 10 Project . A joint work of researchers, companies, ministries and volunteers launched to allow, in total, up to 80,000 COVID-19 diagnoses per day . The new project fuels Spain's hopes of controlling the pandemic as soon as possible .
The project was born out of the need to automate the PCR tests , carried out in microbiology laboratories to detect the coronavirus , using robots that allow thousands of samples daily .
While the number of infected by coronavirus in Spain did not stop growing, the country carried out nearly 20,000 tests daily and they were not enough . At first he warned the Community of Madrid, and self Ministry of Health finally confirmed .
"Crisis situations bring out the best in people," said Colás , who is also Esade's chief innovation officer. The researchers Rocío Martínez and Andreuo Veà , the consultant Sandra Figaredo and the president of the Alastria consortium, María Parga , are the other four people behind the idea of Super Robot 10. The idea of these people was transformed into a joint effort by companies , Ministries and volunteers to turn the potential of the project into reality .
In the absence of protective equipment, respirators, and even beds, the researchers who developed the project warned that hundreds of thousands of new PCR tests would be needed. After 22 days of confinement the team managed to create new teams to deal with the virus .
The robots were carried four seasons , with 10 in each one . Each robot allows machining up to 2,400 PCR tests per day . The health centers that have the new equipment are the Hospital Clínic and the Vall d'Hebrón , in Barcelona, and La Paz and the Carlos III Health Institute , in Madrid .
Each of the stations has a different protocol. However, all four have already been installed and are currently in the calibration and programming phase of the robots.
The robots, assembled in China , arrived in the European country thanks to the Inditex logistics network and the support of Renfe . In addition, Apple donated computers to run the production lines and the Ikea company was involved in its installation . Finally, Colás highlighted the work of a group of volunteers who launched the new teams .