Canberra Hospital's new $25,000 robot for kids came from fundraising
It can sing a pretty good version of Let it Go, dance with panache to Gangnam Style and explain the needle really will feel just like a little sting - meet the latest in paediatric care at the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children.
It's a $25,000 robot designed to distract, comfort and entertain children, particularly as they are undergoing medical procedures. And it loves giving high fives.
Health Minister Meegan Fitzharris said Canberra's was the first paediatric ward in Australia to have humanoid robot with "specialised applications designed to lift children's spirits, provide a distraction and talk them through procedures".
The $25,000 purchase of the MEDIZen Robot nicknamed "Medi'' was made possible through a donation from the Event, Hospitality and Entertainment (EVT) Charity Committee to the Canberra Hospital Foundation.
EVT comprises staff from Rydges, QT and Autra hotels, the Thredbo Alpine Village and local cinemas. Area sales manager Kirsty Tomas said the fundraising included a workplace giving scheme, annual trivia night and charity cinema screenings.
"I think it's so important to be part of something that is so amazing for the children,'' Ms Tomas said. "The Canberra Hospital Foundation does amazing work.''
The hospital's clinical nurse consultant Catherine Campbell said the robot was purely for the emotional wellbeing of the children, reinforcing their bravery in adversity.
"The main benefit is reducing anxiety in children, increasing their engagement with what we might be wanting them to do, in terms of going ahead with treatments, without fear. And then that affirmation of bravery and that they've achieved something and that they're little heroes," she said.
An existing play therapist, Larah Nichols, would accompany the robot, with medical staff left to do what they know best.
"She will come around with him and she operates a bit like a ventriloquist, she's a bit behind the scenes. But the way children are with robots and puppets, they just fully engage on Medi and don't even notice she's behind them on an iPad, orchestrating his movements and conversations," Ms Campbell said.
"Luckily, we don't have to do that. We can about doing our business which is doing the treatments with the children and leave Larah and Medi to deal with the big work of distraction."
The robot, which runs the Medicine and Engineering Designing Intelligence software, was developed and tested at Alberta's Children's Hospital in Canada over three years.
Ms Fitzharris said it was about the hospital's young patients having the "most positive experience they can under difficult circumstances".
"Children who have had interaction with MEDIZen usually leave the hospital setting chatting about the robot, rather than the procedure or appointment they may have had," she said.
Canberra Hospital Foundation chair Debbie Rolfe thanked EVT for the donation.
"Their staff and their families have done an amazing job fundraising for this project and it's been an amazing success," she said.
"They're so passionate about helping the children's hospital, through the Canberra Hospital Foundation, and we thank them from the bottom of our heart because, without people like them, we couldn't provide the services that we do."