Using robotics to supercharge health care

Since its founding in 1998, Vecna Technologies has developed a number of ways to help hospitals care for patients. The company has produced intake systems to respond to Covid-19 patient surges, prediction systems to manage health complications in maternity wards, and telepresence robots that have allowed sick people to stay connected with friends and loved ones. The differences among those products have also led to a number of transformations and spinoffs, including material handling company Vecna Robotics and the health care nonprofit VecnaCares. Vecna Technologies co-founders Deborah Noel Theobald '95 and Daniel Theobald '95, SM '98 say each of those pivots has been driven by a desire to build a robotics company that makes a positive impact on the world. "We knew we wanted to do robotics and do something good in the world," Deborah says of the team's mindset.