Paediatric robotics secondment

A senior robotics academic will spend several months working part-time inside a children’s hospital, embedding directly in clinical wards rather than in a university lab. This matters because medical robots and other technologies designed for adults often fail to account for children’s smaller anatomy, different physiology, and unique developmental needs. The gap between engineering research and paediatric practice means many promising devices never reach the children who could benefit from them. The secondment aims to close that gap by having the researcher observe real clinical workflows, shadow surgeons and nurses, and identify unmet needs through direct, daily contact with patients and staff. If successful, the project could accelerate the development of child-specific surgical robots, diagnostic tools, and rehabilitation devices. It also feeds into the creation of a new National Centre for Child Health Technology, helping to shape its laboratory setup and equipment choices. Beyond the immediate hospital, the work includes writing a focus article based on interviews with clinicians worldwide, running training workshops on emerging technologies, and using a medical-grade 3D printer for rapid prototyping of new devices. The ultimate goal is to push paediatric technologies toward commercialisation by linking academics, clinicians, and industry partners.