Innovative Medical Crash Cart Robot Enhances Emergency Team Collaboration and Efficiency

Medical crash carts—critical emergency tools filled with medications, syringes, gauze, and IV fluids—play an essential role in hospital emergency rooms where rapid response can mean the difference between life and death. Despite their importance, there is significant variability in crash cart layouts across healthcare institutions. This inconsistency can cause delays during urgent situations, as healthcare providers may waste precious seconds searching for supplies or opening incorrect compartments.

To address these challenges, researchers from Cornell College embarked on a project to reinvent the traditional crash cart by developing a robotic support system designed to improve team coordination and reduce stress during critical procedures. Led by Assistant Professor Angelique Taylor of Cornell Tech, the team aimed to enhance existing equipment rather than replace it, focusing on how technology could facilitate better collaboration amidst high-pressure scenarios.

This innovative approach was presented at the ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction (HRI 2025), under the title "Rapidly Built Medical Crash Cart! Lessons Learned and Impacts on High-Stakes Team Collaboration in the Emergency Room." The team’s multi-year effort involved designing, prototyping, and testing different versions of a robotic, remotely operated crash cart platform. Their objective was to create a system that could communicate effectively, help reduce the cognitive load of medical staff, and support teamwork during resuscitation procedures.

Initial field tests at a pediatric simulation event demonstrated that the robot was effective in decreasing mental, temporal, and physical stress on healthcare providers. However, the team also discovered that certain aspects, such as communication cues, needed refinement. For instance, while visual signals like LED lights helped indicate which supplies the robot recommended, speech-based instructions often went unheard in noisy environments, and vague commands sometimes increased frustration. This led to improvements, including clearer, concise spoken guidance and enhanced visual cues.

Further studies involved analyzing how medical staff perceived the robot’s behavior, especially when it opened drawers for supplies. It became apparent that clear, direct communication of the robot’s actions was crucial for team understanding and confidence during emergencies. The team tested various prototypes, incorporating visual and auditory signals to improve interaction.

Building on these insights, the research team is now exploring how robotic crash carts can support medical training and hospital-wide coordination efforts. A multi-site trial is in progress to gather data for future iterations. Their work underscores a key message: thoughtful integration of robotic systems can significantly improve communication, reduce workload, and streamline emergency responses in healthcare settings.

This advancement demonstrates how innovative design in medical equipment and support systems can bolster staff performance and patient safety, especially as healthcare systems face increasing complexity and provider burnout.

Source: MedicalXpress