The HollieCares project, funded under the grant number 16SV8407, ran from 1 February 2020 to 31 January 2023 and aimed to create a multifunctional service robot to support nursing staff in German hospitals. The consortium was led by the German Institute for Applied Nursing Research, with the Knappschaftsklinikum Saar GmbH in Püttlingen as the clinical partner. Technical partners supplied robotic hardware and software, while the hospital’s hygiene commission, ethics committee, and data protection officer provided regulatory oversight. The project’s objectives were to prototype a robot capable of performing transport, logistics, documentation, and basic assistance tasks, and to evaluate its safety, usability, and potential time‑saving effects in a real ward setting.

From a technical standpoint, the team adopted an iterative development cycle. Early user workshops with physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and nursing scientists identified key scenarios: escorting patients from rooms to examination areas, repositioning wheelchairs during mobility training, guiding patients through thrombosis prophylaxis exercises, and documenting wounds using speech‑recognition. These scenarios were translated into functional requirements for the robot’s navigation, manipulation, and user‑interface modules. The robot’s arm and patient‑contact surfaces were designed with materials that can be disinfected according to the Basic Hygiene Ordinance, and the system was deliberately restricted from operating in wet areas to avoid electrical hazards. Before each clinical deployment, nursing staff are required to disinfect all patient‑contact points, a procedure that the project’s risk assessment deemed necessary until the robot’s own sterilisation capability can be validated.

Performance evaluation focused on operational reliability and safety. The robot successfully completed 95 % of scheduled transport tasks without intervention, and its navigation accuracy was within 10 cm of the target location. In documentation trials, the speech‑recognition module achieved an error rate of 3 % for wound descriptions, comparable to manual entry. Time‑saving measurements indicated that routine tasks such as moving heavy material boxes and repositioning beds were reduced by up to 30 % for nursing staff, freeing them for more patient‑direct care. No adverse events were recorded during the pilot phase, and the robot’s compliance with GDPR and the Medical Device Regulation was confirmed through a formal data‑protection impact assessment and a safety certification process.

The collaboration structure was integral to the project’s success. The hospital’s staff provided continuous feedback, ensuring that the robot’s design remained aligned with clinical workflows. The ethics committee monitored potential impacts on patient dignity and staff workload, while the data protection officer ensured that all video recordings and sensor data were anonymised and stored securely. Liability questions were addressed early, with clear delineation of responsibilities between the hospital, the robot manufacturer, and the research institute. The consortium’s network also facilitated knowledge exchange with other hospitals, positioning the project as a model for future robotic deployments in German healthcare.

In conclusion, HollieCares demonstrated that a purpose‑built service robot can reliably perform a range of patient‑remote tasks, meet stringent hygiene and regulatory requirements, and deliver measurable time savings for nursing staff. The project’s collaborative framework—combining clinical insight, technical expertise, and rigorous ethical and legal oversight—provides a blueprint for scaling robotic assistance in hospitals while safeguarding patient safety and data privacy.