On hearing her story from Roisin, we quickly recognised the potential of our robotic systems to address a critical issue – providing physical assistance to disabled individuals during mammography screenings.
Inspired by this encounter, we embarked on a collaborative journey, exchanging visits between our respective domains to gain a comprehensive understanding of the breast screening process and the capabilities of our robotic systems. Our mutual conviction grew stronger – robots could indeed be the solution to ensuring equal access to mammography for individuals with disabilities.
Robotic and AI solution
Together we are exploring the use of robotics and Embodied AI – a type of AI that physically interacts with its environment or people – to assist people with limited or no mobility during a mammography ensuring equal access for all.
We aim to employ a robotics system that consists of two collaborative robots assisting in holding the upper body during screening. Using force torque sensors and two thermal cameras we can track the upper body posture during screening. The posture will be used as feedback for the robot, providing the right support and movement for a correct position.
However, transforming this vision into reality requires funding, and as Roisin says we were fortunate to discover the CRUK Early Detection & Diagnosis Primer Award as a potential source of support. After presenting our idea to the grant manager and receiving positive feedback, we recognised the crucial importance of addressing safety and ethical considerations, given the physical interaction between robots and humans.
Safety first
Fortunately, being part of the Institute for Safe Autonomy, which specialises in assuring and verifying the safety of autonomous systems, we were able to swiftly identify and collaborate with colleagues who possess the necessary expertise.
This interdisciplinary collaboration is a testament to the University of York’s commitment to fostering a “University for public good,” where diverse disciplines converge to address societal challenges. While a one-year funding period is not sufficient to develop a complete solution, it provides us with the invaluable opportunity to kick-start this ground-breaking project and collect crucial data to strengthen our case for obtaining larger grants in the future.
This initial support is a critical stepping stone towards our ultimate goal of ensuring equal access to healthcare for all individuals, regardless of their physical abilities.
I am deeply grateful for the support of Cancer Research UK and the University of York, and I look forward to the transformative impact this project will have on the lives of individuals with disabilities, empowering them to take charge of their health and well-being.
