A four-legged robot is taking on an unusual but useful role at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital, delivering medicines to young patients while allowing nurses to spend more time at their bedsides.
Turbo Teddy takes on hospital deliveries
Named Turbo Teddy, the autonomous robot dog travels from the hospital pharmacy to the Children’s Day Hospital carrying medicines that cannot be transported through the facility’s internal tube system.
The robot is capable of navigating busy hospital corridors and calling an elevator on its own. Once it reaches its destination, it delivers the medicines to nursing staff.
According to the hospital, the system is particularly useful for medications such as chemotherapy and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), which may need to be handled carefully and cannot be sent through the tube network.
Nurses can spend more time with patients
Before Turbo Teddy was introduced, hospital staff had to make repeated trips between the pharmacy and the children’s unit. Medicines were sometimes collected in batches, which could mean patients had to wait longer.
Nurse manager Danielle Nelski said the technology allows the nursing team to remain with patients instead of spending time travelling through the hospital to collect medicines.
The robot was made possible through a donation from David Fink, a former patient who received treatment at St. Joseph’s for more than a decade. Turbo Teddy was named after his beloved family dog and designed to resemble it.
The robot is expected to expand its deliveries to the paediatric intensive care unit, paediatric cardiac ICU and paediatric infusion centre.
The initiative reflects how autonomous technology can support healthcare workers by taking care of routine logistical tasks while allowing staff to focus more closely on patients.