The project “Service robots as work support in municipal health and care services” (SAKO) was one of only 10 projects out of 113 applications to receive Research Council of Norway funding in December.
The SAKO project aims to develop and test robots that can relieve healthcare personnel by handling heavy and routine tasks, such as transporting dirty laundry and waste. The project is led by Professor Mariann Fossum at the Centre for e-health and the Department of Health and Nursing Sciences at the University of Agder.
The project targets some of the most pressing challenges in the healthcare and elder care sector: an aging population, a shortage of healthcare workers, and increasing demands for efficiency. By freeing up time from routine tasks, healthcare professionals can focus on patient care, which will improve service quality and the work environment for staff.
The SAKO project employs a systematic approach by mapping the needs of nursing homes in close collaboration with staff and management. Three different robots will be tested in the I4Heatlh lab at Campus Grimstad before being deployed in nursing homes in Grimstad, Risør, and Arendal.
“Robots will take over physically demanding tasks from staff. These aren’t robots that talk or interact but rather perform tasks that help reduce the workload on healthcare personnel,” Fossum said.
By introducing collaborative robots (cobots) and autonomous mobile robots for routine tasks, the initiative enables caregivers to focus on patient treatment, increasing both efficiency and quality, said Professor Filippo Sanfilippo from the Department of Engineering Sciences at UiA.
Through pilot studies and a quasi-experimental approach, the project will measure the robots’ impact on efficiency, work environments, and service quality. This ensures a thorough evaluation of the benefits and challenges of using service robots.
The project is a result of cooperation between UiA, municipalities, and international partners such as Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology (LUT) in Finland. It is grounded in UiA’s expertise in both e-health and technology, using interdisciplinary methods that combine robotics, health research, and practice-oriented implementation.
Sanfilippo said the project is also an important contribution to the development of human-robot teaming (HRT).
“This human-centered approach ensures that robots work alongside staff to support their tasks, not replace them. The technology is intended to enhance patient care and improve the daily lives of healthcare personnel,” he said.
The project also fosters synergies with UiA’s academic programmes, such as Biomechatronics, offering students opportunities to gain hands-on experience and contribute to advancing future healthcare robotics.
The project is closely tied to the development of the planned university nursing home in Grimstad, scheduled for completion between 2029 and 2031. The facility will serve as a national model for how technology can improve both services and working conditions in elder care.
“The SAKO project funding will also contribute to developing the services planned for the university nursing home. We see great potential in integrating robotics into daily operations,” said Silje Bjerkås, project manager for the university nursing home.
The robots are designed to address specific needs, such as transporting laundry over long distances, freeing up healthcare staff to spend more time on direct patient care.
With increasing pressure on healthcare services, the SAKO project is a step toward sustainable solutions. The project aims to improve working conditions for healthcare personnel, reduce absenteeism and turnover, and enhance service quality for patients.
“This project has the potential to serve as a model for other municipalities in Norway and internationally. The goal is not only to improve services but also to contribute to a more sustainable and efficient healthcare system,” Fossum said.
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