The Role of the Robot
From cybersecurity challenges and AI-driven decision-making, to making mundane tasks more skillful, robotics is reshaping pharmaceutical operations.
| 3 min read | Interview
As pharmaceutical companies look for ways to optimize efficiency, improve safety, and meet growing demand, automation helps streamline processes and reduce human error, particularly in environments where precision and accuracy are critical. Given the pharmaceutical industry’s strict compliance requirements and need for consistent output, robotics automation provides a scalable solution that can meet volume and urgency demands, while reducing or eliminating human error – especially in transport and storage. Neil Bentley, Director, Product Management – Engineering, Locus Robotics, tells us more.
What can robotics offer in terms of the timely delivery of pharmaceuticals?
Robots contribute to both accuracy and security by minimizing human error and ensuring strict adherence to protocols. Automated systems can track and record the exact movement of their payloads, providing real-time data for compliance, and enhancing traceability. Accuracy improvements and enhanced visibility of the chain of custody both reduce the risk of misplacement, contamination, or spoilage of pharmaceutical products.
For example, UPS Healthcare has a large facility with a range of products from pharmaceutical to animal health products and medical devices. This facility is large, featuring multiple freezers and cooler storage space with very low temperatures. Before they implemented autonomous mobile robots to help with picking, employees were exposed to harsh conditions, had to push heavy carts around, and had to walk 10,000 steps in a single shift on average!
Robots have eased the strain on employees, while also being safe, compliant, and capable of operating in cold storage locations, resulting in quicker turnaround times and timely deliveries to healthcare professionals and patients that need them. Many sites have reported doubling (even tripling) their throughput after deploying robotics, while improving overall accuracy to 98 percent or more. Robotic automation need not be limited to ambient storage as they are quite capable of operating in cooler and freezer environments at multiple pharmaceutical and healthcare sites.
What are the challenges in keeping robotic materials handling solutions safe from external threats such as cyber-attacks?
Cybersecurity is a critical concern for robotic systems. Protecting these solutions involves implementing robust encryption, regularly updating software, and adhering to industry best practices for network security. The challenges, however, lie in successfully preventing data breaches and aligning with robotics partners who comply with data and privacy regulations. As a starting point, a comprehensive risk assessment must be done to understand the vulnerabilities that exist and how they can be exploited. The next challenge is to implement robust data protection measures, which need to be regularly updated, and conduct employee awareness training to educate the workforce about potential risks. And finally, aligning all of vendors and partners’ security requirements with your own to ensure data handling is consistent throughout operations.
How have robots improved the working culture for employees of pharmaceutical stakeholders?
Robots have significantly improved the working culture by reducing repetitive, physically demanding tasks, allowing employees to focus on higher-value work. This has led to better job satisfaction, a safer work environment, and an opportunity for workers to upskill and engage with more advanced technologies. One UPS Healthcare facility reported significant improvements in employee morale and virtually eliminated push-pull injuries from handling manual carts, while also achieving a 54 percent increase in lines picked.
What areas of improvement have you identified for robotics as a materials handling solution?
As product lines and manufacturing processes become more complex, robotic automation must adapt to changing workflows seamlessly. Additionally, improving the affordability and scalability of robotics, as well as financing models, will help expand its accessibility and use across a wide range of operations sizes.
What will robotics look like in the future of the pharmaceuticals manufacturing space?
The future will see greater integration of robotics with AI and IoT technologies, enabling real-time data analytics, predictive manufacturing and operations intelligence, proactive maintenance, and autonomous, AI-driven, decision-making. Robots will play a pivotal role in creating safer, highly responsive, resilient, and adaptive pharmaceutical manufacturing ecosystems. These advancements will not only enhance productivity and quality control but also enable faster drug development, ensure regulatory compliance, and improve global access to essential medicines. The next decade will mark a significant shift toward intelligent, autonomous, pharmaceutical manufacturing ecosystems, driving greater innovation and positive patient outcomes.
