Researchers at the American Rutgers University have developed a robot that can take blood from a patient without any human action. The robot uses a combination of infrared radiation and echographs to create a 3D image of the patients bloodvessels, after which it inserts the needle into the arm at the ideal spot. The added value of this tool is that it makes the collection of blood samples faster, safer, and easier. Using current methods, it can be difficult for the nurse to find the blood vessel, for example in obese people or people with dark skin. Inserting the needle incorrectly often leads to bruising, and sometimes even to nerve problems. There is also no risk of the healthcare professional to prick themselves with the needle. What also sets the robot apart is the ability to immediately test the blood for a number of standard values, which means the tubes sometimes don’t even need to be tested in the lab.
