Atlanta, GA
EXCLUSIVE: How Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta uses robot fleet to support its new hospital
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – With its new Arthur M. Blank Hospital, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta now has more space to care for more children. But that space also means more ground for its workers to cover.
The solution? A fleet of robots that roam the halls, remotely open doors, and even have their own elevators.
The robots use LiDar, which stands for Light Detection and Ranging. It’s a method that uses light to create 3D models that allow the robots to move around the hospital and keep them from bumping into people.
“I’ve never worked at a hospital with a robot system before,” said pharmacy resident Kaitlyn Currie. “You don’t have everyone running up and down from the floor to the pharmacy.”
The robots are monitored from the hospital’s basement.
“This our control room where we manage all of our robots,” said senior advisor Perry Bhamornsiri, showing off a small room with a few chairs and multiple large screens high on the wall.
Bhamornsiri helps oversee all 90 T-3 Aethon robots.
“It tells you where they are and when their job began,” he said of the monitors.
Throughout the day, the robots make supply runs, deliver medication and food, carry linens and medical waste, and even take out the trash.
Sara gattis / clinical manager, children’s healthcare of atlanta
“When you’re going from a six-story building to a 19-story building, it definitely saves a lot of time,” said Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Clinical Manager Sara Gattis.
The robots have kid-friendly covers and good manners.
But with anything technology, there are also worries that these robots could take jobs. Bhamornsiri is adamant that’s not the case. To him, it’s about subsidizing the workload, not replacing workers.
While SkyNet likely isn’t in the future for these T-3s, more comprehensive implementation could be.
“I do think more and more hospitals will adapt,” Gattis said.
And one where humans work hand-in-hand with those who just have wheels.
“It’s a very unique experience,” Currie said.
Copyright 2024 WANF. All rights reserved.
The Georgia Department of Transportation announced that a major weekend construction project, set to fully shut down two miles of I-285, has been postponed due to inclement weather. Atlantans are relieved, with many looking forward to more freedom to travel this Mothers’ Day weekend. Kim Leoffler has the story.
ATLANTA – An Atlanta flight attendant and mother of eight is among 17,000 Spirit Airlines workers struggling to find a new “destination” after the carrier suddenly shut down.
Spirit Airlines Atlanta impact
What we know:
Spirit Airlines ended all operations on Saturday, grounding its entire fleet and ending employment for its 17,000-person workforce. Flight attendants and customers were stranded across the country, often forced to pay for their own travel home after the discount carrier ceased operations.
Kamille Carter, an Atlanta-based flight attendant of five years, said she received the termination email from the CEO at 3 a.m., despite earlier assurances from union representatives that the company was stable. The company immediately cut healthcare benefits and stopped payments for sick leave and vacation time for all staff members.
Unpaid wages and benefits
What we don’t know:
It is unclear if Carter and her fellow employees will ever receive their final paychecks or if there is any legal recourse for the lost benefits. The company has not specified if any transition assistance will be provided to workers, some of whom had been with the airline since it launched in 1994.
Employee reaction in Georgia
What they’re saying:
“This is a death because you have to mourn, you have to grieve, it’s a process,” Carter said of the sudden job loss. Despite the financial strain of supporting eight children, Carter is looking toward her passion for cooking as a potential new career. She noted that while being uncomfortable is difficult, it can “push you to your destiny.”
Finding help in Atlanta
What you can do:
Community members looking to support Carter and other local workers affected by the shutdown can find more information on the FOX 5 Atlanta website. The station is collecting resources for those navigating the sudden loss of income and healthcare.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from an interview conducted by FOX 5 reporter Eric Perry, who spoke directly with former flight attendant Kamille Carter in Atlanta. Previous FOX 5 Atlanta reporting was also used.
The search for missing 16-year-old Benjamin Braithwaite is over. Atlanta police announced just before midnight Thursday that he had been located, more than a week after he vanished from his Regency Trace home.
The department shared the update on social media but did not release additional details about where he was found or the circumstances surrounding his recovery.
Braithwaite had been missing since the night of April 27, when he was last seen around 9 p.m. at his home in Atlanta. His family said they had no contact with him during the entire time he was gone.
The disappearance of the KIPP Atlanta Collegiate High School sophomore and basketball team member had galvanized the Atlanta community. His family, teammates, Atlanta police officers and neighbors gathered at the school last week to raise awareness about his disappearance. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, where his mother works, joined the search effort — asking the public to watch for him at MARTA stops and fast food restaurants.
A $10,000 reward had been offered for credible information leading to his safe return.
“Even small details matter. Your awareness could make the difference,” the airport wrote in an Instagram post earlier this week.
-
Michigan4 minutes agoList of active weather alerts as storms move through Southeast Michigan
-
Massachusetts10 minutes agoMassachusetts town near Gillette Stadium presses for World Cup security funding
-
Minnesota16 minutes agoProjected Lineup: Wild vs. Avalanche | Minnesota Wild
-
Mississippi22 minutes agoAuburn baseball evens series with Mississippi State on Friday: Recap
-
Missouri28 minutes agoKansas City, Missouri, police investigate deadly shooting at 4th and Holmes
-
Montana34 minutes agoMontana Vista residents confront ‘Pecos West’ developers in tense meeting
-
Nebraska40 minutes agoWhere Are Nebraska Fan’s Heads – CarrikerChronicles.com
-
Nevada46 minutes agoBillionaire Tax Refugees Flock to Ritzy Nevada Lake Town