Autonomous systems are increasingly being deployed outdoors and connecting buildings across sprawling hospital campuses

Autonomous transport robots are now part of everyday life in many hospitals. They handle the internal transport of materials, supply wards with meals and laundry, or deliver medicines and sterile goods to their destinations. Until now, however, this automation has often stopped at the building door.

Large hospital sites in particular often consist of several buildings connected by public walkways. In many places, food trolleys, laundry containers or waste trolleys are still moved between buildings manually or using small transport vehicles. For operators, this means additional staffing costs, higher operating costs and a disruption to automated logistics processes.

It is precisely here that a new development is currently emerging: autonomous transport systems are increasingly taking over the transport of materials outdoors as well, thereby creating seamless logistics chains across the entire campus.

Outdoor areas present particular challenges

Whilst transport robots move within buildings in a largely controlled environment, they must cope with significantly more complex situations outdoors. Different road surfaces, gradients, kerbs, changing weather conditions, as well as pedestrians and vehicles, place high demands on navigation and the chassis.

Furthermore, satellite signals are sometimes limited between buildings or beneath rows of trees. To ensure reliable navigation, modern systems therefore combine various methods. In addition to digital maps, LiDAR sensors and other environmental data are used, for example, to continuously determine the robot’s position.

Existing transport trolleys are retained

Another trend is to alter existing logistics processes as little as possible. Instead of using specially adapted transport containers, some manufacturers are now adopting the so-called ‘towing principle’.

In this approach, the robot automatically couples existing food, laundry or waste trolleys and tows them to their destination. Existing transport trolleys can thus continue to be used without the need to adapt their design or platform height. For hospitals, this reduces the need to invest in new logistics containers and facilitates integration into existing workflows.

Partnership expands campus logistics

Against this backdrop, imrox GmbH and Innok Robotics have entered into a partnership. The aim is to increase the use of the INDUROS autonomous outdoor transport robot in the healthcare sector in future.

imrox is integrating the system into its logistics solutions for hospitals and care facilities. Whilst the company has so far primarily focused on internal transport processes and vertical transport, the partnership expands its portfolio to include automated material transport between multiple buildings.

The INDUROS operates on the towing principle and automatically couples the first transport trolley. Trolleys that are already connected can – depending on the model – be transported with a total train load of up to 1.3 tonnes. For typical applications in the healthcare sector, imrox particularly recommends the variant with a towing capacity of 700 kilograms.

Weatherproof for continuous use

Weather resistance is an essential requirement for use outside buildings. According to the manufacturer, the INDUROS has an IP65 protection rating and is designed for operation in rain, snow and both high and low temperatures.

This offers particular advantages for hospital campuses. The transport of materials can be automated regardless of the weather, without staff having to travel regularly between buildings. At the same time, existing material flows can be fully automated, as the robot can be deployed both inside buildings and outdoors.

Robotics is becoming part of hospital logistics

The partnership between imrox and Innok Robotics highlights a general trend in the healthcare sector. Robotics is increasingly no longer limited to individual transport tasks within a single building. Rather, autonomous systems are becoming integral parts of an end-to-end logistics chain that connects different buildings, storage areas and wards.

In view of the ongoing shortage of skilled staff, this development is becoming even more significant. Routine tasks such as the transport of meals, laundry or waste tie up staff who are urgently needed elsewhere. Autonomous transport solutions can help relieve staff of repetitive tasks and make logistical processes more predictable.

‘Made in Germany’ as an additional factor

Innok Robotics develops and manufactures the INDUROS series at its site in Regenstauf, Bavaria. For operators in the healthcare sector, this aspect is playing an increasingly important role. In addition to short service distances, many institutions also cite data protection, cyber security and the long-term supply of spare parts as key criteria in investment decisions.

Public sector clients, in particular, are paying increasing attention to ensuring that digital systems comply with European requirements for data protection and information security and can be supported in the long term.

Conclusion

The collaboration between imrox and Innok Robotics exemplifies a trend emerging in many hospitals: automation no longer stops at the building’s entrance. Autonomous transport robots are increasingly being deployed outdoors and, for the first time, enable seamless material flows across entire hospital campuses.

This expands the scope of mobile robotics from individual transport tasks to an integral part of modern hospital logistics. For operators, this offers the opportunity to streamline processes, deploy staff more effectively and sustainably automate the movement of supplies between multiple buildings.

At a glance | INDUROS by Innok Robotics

Areas of application

• Hospitals
• Healthcare campuses
• Care facilities
• Industrial and factory sites

Key features

• Autonomous outdoor and indoor operation
• Towing principle instead of lifting technology
• Use of existing trolleys
• Hybrid navigation with mapping and LiDAR
• IP65 protection rating for outdoor use
• Four models with towing capacities ranging from 350 kg to 1.3 t

Partnership

imrox GmbH provides consultancy, integration, commissioning, training and service, thereby expanding its portfolio to include automated campus logistics.